New Delhi: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Wednesday highlighted that India’s milk production increased nearly 70 per cent in the last 11 years to 248 million tonne in 2024-25 and that the country will become free from food and mouth disease (FMD) in next three years.
Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Singh, the Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, informed that the outbreaks of FMD and Brucellosis have declined during the last few years.
“India is the largest milk producer in the world,” he said, adding that the milk production has increased sharply in the last 11 years of this current government.
The country’s milk production surged nearly 70 per cent to 248 million tonnes in 2024-25 from 146.3 million tonne in 2014-15.
During this period, Singh said the productivity has increased from 1,648 kg per animal annually to 2,251 kg per animal.
“We are not able to export despite being the largest milk producer. The main reason is FMD,” he said.
Singh pointed out that developed nations need certification that India is free from FMD, then only they import dairy products.
The minister stated that the government has taken various measures to control FMD and the outbreak declined to 40 last year from 132 in 2019. He said the Centre is bearing all expenses for vaccination.
Singh said the aim is to make India free from FMD, with certification from the World Organisation for Animal Health.