February 2, 2012

India's milk demand to hit 150 million tonnes by 2017

The Indian Dairy Association (IDA) expects domestic milk demand to rise to 150 million tonnes in the next five years due to population growth.

The country is estimated to have produced 116 million tonnes of milk in 2011, IDA's president, Dr N.R. Bhasin, told reporters.

"Keeping in view the rising population, India would need around 150 million tonnes of milk by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17)," he said.

Speaking at a curtain-raiser for the annual dairy industry conference, Dr Bhasin added that the requirement of milk in the next 10 years would be about 200-210 million tonnes.

IDA is organising the annual conference to focus on the development of a national strategy for dairy development in the near future.

"The conference this year is being organised in the national capital from February 2-5 and the focus this year is 'Indian Dairying: Perspective 2020'," Dr Bhasin said.

Around 1,800 delegates are expected to participate in the conference, including participants from the EU and the US, he added.