From Farm To Fork ... Opportunities In Dairy Industry

Dairy industry provides ample opportunities for new entrepreneurs to explore, as it makes its way from the farm to the dining table. Today milk comes in various forms. Besides the raw milk, one has low fat milk, fat free milk, flavoured milk, organic milk, lactose milk et al. Besides milk, an entrepreneur also has the option of entering any of the value added dairy products like cheese, butter, ghee, etc. All these dairy products also need packaging, which is another segment that entrepreneurs could explore, besides the machinery needed by the industry. Ashok Malkani examines all segments of the industry available for the enterprising entrepreneurs who desire to enter this industry.

- Ashok Malkani

The legacy of milk consumption in India is unique. A glass of milk in India goes from sehat (health) to suhaag raat (wedding night). India, which accounts for 1/5th of global milk production, is the world’s largest producer of milk. According to the latest report by IMARC group, dairy market reached a value of Rs. 11,360 billion in 2020 and is expected to cross Rs. 21,971 billion by 2024.

However, it would be incorrect to state that the lockdown and the pandemic have left the dairy industry unaffected. The lock down and the pandemic have affected all industries, including the dairy industry. Milk, a commodity which is supposed to be the life blood of the country, consumed not only in its natural format but also in value added dairy products, was adversely affected too.

A part of this effect was due to the lock down of the restaurants, hotels, sweet marts and the unorganized food stalls. The milk consumption fell by 25-30% during April-May 2020, due to the adverse effect of the lockdown. Gujarat-based Amul claimed that lockdown had resulted in 25% drop in demand. R.S. Sodhi, Managing Director, Amul, has stated that the exodus of migrant workers, from places like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, et al., back to their villages would have an impact on the demand.

Pandemic Problems

The restrictive measure imposed by various countries for controlling the pandemic has given a jolt to the global economy. Since dairy is one of the most vulnerable sectors the disruptions caused by restrictive measures is expected to have repercussions on the industry.