National Milk Day: How A Single Firm Made India As Biggest Producer In World?
We all know how milk is essential for our taste as well as our health. Milk is a source of calcium, vitamins B, vitamin D, potassium, and phosphorus for the human body. This day celebrates the importance of milk in our lives and spreads awareness of the benefit of drinking milk. In Indi, we use milk as a key ingredient in most of our sweets, which sure tastes heavenly.
National Milk Day is celebrated on 26 November yearly to commemorate Dr Verghese Kurien, also known as the father of ‘The White Revolution. Kurien was born on 26 November; that’s why National Milk Day is celebrated on this day.
History
In 1945, under the British raj, dairy farmers were exploited by the contractor in the market. Farmers were not getting the reasonable price they deserved; the contractors gave them only a fixed price for the milk, and the farmers had only one offer to either take it or leave it if they didn’t want to sell the milk at the given price. Farmers got frustrated, and they decided to make their organization.
In the 1940s, there was a company named Polson, which used to make coffee and butter, and you could find Polson butter in every Indian household then. During the 1900s, there was a rise of a leader named Tribhuvan Das Patel, who became the leader of dairy farmers.
All dairy farmers went to Sardar Bhai Vallabh Patel with their problems, and he suggested they make a farmer's cooperative in which farmers can sell the milk directly. The dairy farmers then established Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union.
The British government refused to buy milk instantly from dairy farmers. Later, farmers stopped the production of milk and went on strike, though they had to bear the loss, but eventually, the British govt. They agreed to their demands.
In 1947, after the independence, farmers got their economic freedom. In 1948 the cooperation started the pasteurization of milk to increase its shelf life.
Who was Dr. Verghese Kurien?
Dr Verghese Kurien graduated in physics; he studied mechanical engineering and joined Tata steel technical Institute in Jamshedpur. Later, he got selected for a government scholarship in dairy engineering because he did specialised training at the Imperial Institute of animal husbandry.
In 1949 government made him the officer in the dairy division, was placed in a butter-making facility in Anand. There he met Tribhuvandas Patel, and he was impressed by his passionate work of Patel in building the cooperative. They both develop a special bond. After finishing his government service, Verghese decided to stay in Anand, and later, in 1950, he became the executive head of the cooperative.
In 1953, there was high milk production, and it was decided that the cooperative would make milk products like milk powder and butter. In 1957 they decided to name the cooperative Amul (Anand Milk Union); over time, Amul defeated Polson butter in India.
In 1970 National Dairy Development was established to organise dairy development through cooperative societies. When the ‘White Revolution’ or ‘Operation Flood’ took place under Dr Verghese's leadership, milk production increased like a milk flood.
India became the world’s largest milk producer from a milk deficit nation. India Surpassed the USA in the race for milk production. This operation was launched to help the farmers place control of the resources they create in their own hands.
The Anand pattern experiment at Amul, a single cooperative dairy, was the engine behind the program's success of the program. The then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri made Kurien the chairman of NDDB. Kurien gave the necessary thrust using his professional management skill to the program.
Other competitors In the market
Mother Dairy
Mother Dairy products are manufactured and marketed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), a state-owned enterprise. It was an initiative under Operation Flood.
Nestle
Nestle is now the only multinational corporation able to join India's dairy sector. Nestle decided to concentrate on dairy development after entering India's dairy industry. It introduced various milk products in India like milk powder, milk, pureed milk, etc.
Kwality
Kwality has become a dominant market player with a strong brand, It has a widespread milk distribution network, It also caters to the needs of health-conscious consumers by introducing a wholesome frozen dessert range made with low-fat, natural fruits and fortified ice creams.
Dudhsagar Dairy
Dudhsagar is an Indian dairy company owned by the Government of India and the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). Dudhsagar has been ranked as the largest milk-producing state in India. It was established in 1963 with the amalgamation of district milk unions in Kaira, Mehsana, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, and Baroda.
Avin
Avin is one of the most trusted milk brands in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. Avin has a range of products like milk, ice cream, sweets, soft drinks etc.
The foundation has taken various measures, like paying attractive procurement prices for milk producers investing in dairy infrastructure from primary to the state-level federation to achieve the benefits of the "Second White Revolution."
The brand Avin was launched in 1958, the beginning of its journey. The product variety is so immense that it attracts people of all ages and gender.
Ananda
Ananda is an Indian-based milk producer having a vast network all over the country. It is run and owned by Gopaljee, the largest producer of milk and milk-related products like Dahi, paneer, and many more. Ananda is quite famous for its purity and reliability.
Gowardhan
Gowardhan is a very renowned milk-related producing firm making a wide variety of products like ghee, milk, paneer, curd, butter, and many more things. Gowardhan is well known all over India, including remote interior places.
Reasons for rise In milk prices
According to the media reports, the wholesale price index (WPI) based fodder inflation rate stood at 25.54 per cent in August 2022. Due to the rise in the cost of production, The prices of milk and milk products are increased so that farmers do not have to bear the losses. Due to the rise in input costs, milk procurement rates have increased by 15-25 per cent compared to last year.
_20240920205457_original_image_22.webp)
