Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah performed the Bhoomi Pujan for the Amul Bengal Dairy Project in Kolkata, marking the beginning of what is set to become the world’s largest curd manufacturing facility. The project is expected to strengthen West Bengal’s dairy sector, improve farmer incomes and expand cooperative-based milk production across the state.
The ceremony marked the launch of a major dairy infrastructure project that will process 10 lakh litres of milk per day in its first phase. According to the government, the facility is expected to benefit around 1.20 lakh milk-producing livestock rearers, while creating a stronger and more transparent dairy value chain through the cooperative model.
The project has been made possible after the West Bengal government provided 30 acres of land to Amul free of cost. The facility is being developed at the Howrah Food Park with an investment of around ₹700 crore.
Once fully operational, the dairy complex will process approximately 30 lakh litres of milk every day. Along with producing milk and curd, the plant will manufacture 1,000 metric tonnes of curd, 10 lakh kilograms of curd and other cultured dairy products, 20 metric tonnes of paneer, 10 metric tonnes of ghee, 10 metric tonnes of sweets, and around 2.5 lakh packs of flavoured milk daily.
Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah said the project would create a reliable market for dairy farmers while ensuring that a significant share of consumer spending directly benefits livestock rearers. He noted that 87 paise of every rupee spent on Amul products reaches milk producers, highlighting the cooperative model’s role in improving rural incomes.
The government also announced an initiative to improve cattle productivity in West Bengal through a Sex-Sorted Semen facility, aimed at increasing the availability of high-yielding breeds. Over the next 15 years, the programme seeks to ensure that every livestock-rearing household in the state owns at least two animals capable of producing 25% more milk than current breeds.
In addition, the Ministry of Cooperation said benefits from more than 70 farmer welfare schemes would be extended to West Bengal within the next six months. A new “Sarathi” initiative, supported through an MoU between Bengal’s taxi network and Bharat Taxi, was also announced to create additional livelihood opportunities.
The Amul Bengal Dairy Project is expected to strengthen dairy cooperatives, expand processing capacity, generate employment in rural areas and contribute to the next phase of India’s White Revolution by improving farmer incomes and value addition in the dairy sector.
Source: This article is based on an official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India
Press Release Page | Press Information Bureau
