According to the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) for 2022-23, milk has emerged as the top food expenditure item in both rural and urban areas of India.

In rural India, the monthly value of milk and dairy products consumed per person, at Rs 314, surpassed that of vegetables (Rs 203), cereals (Rs 185), egg, fish & meat (Rs 185), fruits (Rs 140), edible oil (Rs 136), spices (Rs 113), and pulses (Rs 76).

Similarly, in urban India, the monthly value of milk (Rs 466) was higher than that of fruits (Rs 246), vegetables (Rs 245), cereals (Rs 235), egg, fish & meat (Rs 231), edible oil (Rs 153), spices (Rs 138), and pulses (Rs 90).

2. The Challenge of Rising Milk Prices

The recent surge in milk consumption in India considered a superior food, is a positive development for the dairy industry and farmers. However, this trend faces challenges from two main sources.

1. Consumer Demand and Inflation: The all-India modal price of milk has increased from Rs 42 to Rs 60 per litre over the last five years, with a significant portion of the rise occurring in the last year alone (from Rs 52 to Rs 60). This inflationary pressure on milk prices can potentially limit consumer demand.
2. Rising Costs of Fodder, Feed, and Raw Materials: The costs of fodder, feed, and raw materials/ingredients have also risen significantly. As a result, dairies have had to increase procurement prices paid to farmers, which, in turn, are passed on to consumers.

There is a limit to how much more consumers can afford to pay for milk without causing demand destruction. To raise farmer incomes without negatively impacting domestic demand and the global competitiveness of the Indian dairy industry, the most viable solution is to reduce the cost of milk production.

3. White Revolution

The White Revolution, also known as Operation Flood, was a significant initiative that transformed India's dairy industry. Spearheaded by Dr. Verghese Kurien, the father of the White Revolution, this movement aimed to make India self-sufficient in milk production and improve the socio-economic conditions of rural dairy farmers.

History of the White Revolution

• In the 1950s, India faced a severe milk shortage, leading to high prices and malnutrition among children. Dr. Kurien, then a young engineer, recognized the potential of dairy farming to address these issues. He collaborated with the Indian government, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and the World Food Programme (WFP) to launch Operation Flood.
• Operation Flood (1970s-1990s) was a three-phase program that aimed to increase milk production, enhance dairy infrastructure, and create a nationwide milk grid. It introduced modern dairy farming practices, like artificial insemination, to improve the quality of cattle and boost milk yields.
• The White Revolution was a resounding success. By 1998, India had become the world's largest milk producer, surpassing the United States. The program also empowered millions of rural dairy farmers, especially women, by providing them with a steady income source and access to markets.
• The White Revolution laid the foundation for India's dairy industry, which continues to thrive today. It emphasized the importance of cooperative dairy farming, community-based milk collection centres, and the integration of technology in dairy operations.
• Dr. Kurien's efforts were internationally recognized, and he received several awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the World Food Prize, for his contributions to dairy development.

The term "White Revolution 2.0" refers to a proposed initiative in India aimed at revitalizing and modernizing the country's dairy industry. It's the successor to the original "White Revolution," which took place in the 1960s and 70s and is credited with transforming India into the world's largest milk producer.

The key aspects of White Revolution 2.0

• Focus on Increased Efficiency and Productivity: This includes improving cattle breeds, better feed management practices, and wider adoption of technological advancements like milking machines and automated milking parlors.
• Enhanced Milk Quality and Processing: Upgrading infrastructure for collection, chilling, and transportation of milk to minimize spoilage and ensure better quality dairy products.
• Emphasis on Farmer Welfare: Ensuring fair prices for milk producers, providing better access to veterinary services, and promoting farmer cooperatives for collective bargaining and resource sharing.
• Value-Added Products and Market Expansion: Encouraging diversification beyond just liquid milk by producing a wider range of dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and butter. This can also involve exploring export opportunities for these products.
• Sustainability: Promoting practices that minimize environmental impact, such as improving manure management and optimizing water usage in dairy farms.

5. Boosting Milk Yield through Genetic Improvement and New Breeding Technologies

To address the challenge of rising milk prices, one approach is to increase milk yield per animal through genetic improvement and the adoption of new breeding technologies.

• Use of Sex-Sorted (SS) Semen: Typically, a crossbred cow, giving birth for the first time at 24-30 months, can produce 5-7 calves over its lifetime. However, only 50% of these calves are female, and thus potential milk-producing cows. By using sex-sorted semen, there is a 90% or more probability of only female calves being born. This significantly increases the number of future milk-producing cows. For example, the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union, also known as Amul, performed 13.91 lakh artificial inseminations (AIs) of its farmers’ cows in 2022-23, out of which 2.86 lakh or 20.5% were based on sex-sorted semen. The union aims to increase this ratio to 30% by 2024-25.
• Targeted Breeding Programs: Implementing targeted breeding programs can further enhance milk yield. This involves selecting animals with desirable traits, such as high milk production, and breeding them to produce offspring with superior genetics for milk production.
• Adoption of New Breeding Technologies: Advancements in breeding technologies, such as genomic selection and marker-assisted selection, can help identify animals with the most desirable traits for milk production. This enables more precise breeding decisions and faster genetic improvement.
• Nutritional Management: Proper nutritional management, including balanced diets and access to clean water, is essential for maximizing milk yield. Ensuring that animals receive the necessary nutrients can significantly improve their productivity.
• Health Management: Maintaining good animal health through vaccination, disease prevention, and regular veterinary care is crucial for optimal milk production. Healthy animals are more likely to produce higher quantities of milk.

6. Embryo Transfer (ET) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) technologies

To address the challenge of limited milk yield per animal, technologies such as Embryo Transfer (ET) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can be used to exploit the high genetic merit (HGM) of existing cows, thereby significantly increasing the number of future milkers.

1. Embryo Transfer (ET): ET involves injecting follicle-stimulating hormone in cows to induce the release of multiple ova (eggs) in a single estrous cycle. These ova, ranging from 4-6 in Jersey cows, 6-8 in Holstein Friesian (HF) cows, and 10-15 in Gir cows, are fertilized by sperms from the semen of a genetically superior bull. The fertilized eggs (zygotes) are then collected from the donor cow and transferred for implantation in the uteruses of multiple recipient animals. This process enables the production of several calves from a single HGM cow. With 6 procedures, each yielding 6 viable embryos, and a 33-35% conception rate, it can result in approximately 12 calves being born from every donor cow per year.
2. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A more recent technology involves extracting oocytes or immature ova directly from the cow’s ovaries using an aspiration pump. Approximately 10-50 oocytes can be collected from each ovary at a time. These oocytes are then kept in an incubator for 24 hours to develop into mature ova. In this case, fertilization of the mature ova takes place in vitro, i.e., outside the cow’s body, in a petri dish where the sperms are introduced. The zygotes formed remain in the in vitro culture medium for another six days before being ready for transfer to recipient cows. With 20 procedures, each yielding 5 viable embryos, and a 33-35% conception rate, there can be approximately 33-35 calves per donor cow per year. This is a significant increase compared to the 5-7 calves produced during their entire lifetime through normal breeding.

By utilizing these advanced reproductive technologies, the dairy industry can maximize the genetic potential of cows, thereby increasing milk yield and improving the overall productivity and profitability of dairy farming.

7. Amul's Bovine Breeding Centre

In March 2020, Amul inaugurated a state-of-the-art Bovine Breeding Centre in Mogar, Gujarat's Anand district. The primary goal was to develop a nucleus herd of High Genetic Merit (HGM) bulls and cows, whose superior semen and in vitro-fertilized embryos could be used for Artificial Insemination (AI) or transferred into farmers' animals.

• Advanced Reproductive Technologies: The Centre, with an investment of Rs 15 crore, has been instrumental in producing 170 male and 180 female animals through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and Embryo Transfer (ET) technology. These include exotic breeds like Holstein Friesian (HF) and Jersey, which produce 10,000-12,000 litres and 7,000-10,000 litres of milk annually, respectively. Additionally, HF-Gir and HF-Sahiwal crossbred animals, yielding 5,000-7,000 litres, and indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, and Murrah buffalo, producing 3,000-4,000 litres, have been successfully bred.
• Exploiting Genetic Potential: The dual approach "By AI and sex-sorted semen, exploiting male genetics. In IVF-ET, are leveraging the female genetics of the donor cow." The Kaira union has already introduced IVF-ET technology to its farmers, recording 63 pregnancies and 13 calvings. Other member unions of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation have also adopted this technology.

8. Animal Nutrition

Apart from genetics, optimizing animal nutrition is essential to reduce feeding costs and enhance milk production efficiency. This can be achieved by encouraging farmers to cultivate high-yielding, protein-rich green fodder grasses and reducing reliance on expensive compound cattle feed and oil-meal concentrates.

• Total Mixed Ration (TMR) Plant at Sarsa: Amul is spearheading this initiative by establishing a 30-tonnes-per-day Total Mixed Ration (TMR) plant at Sarsa in Anand. TMR is a balanced blend of dry and green fodder, concentrates, vitamins, and mineral mixtures, presented in a ready-to-eat mashed form for animals. This approach eliminates the need for farmers to purchase and store fodder separately, and administer it in addition to cattle feed. The plan is to source fodder from farmer-producer organizations, whose members will exclusively grow maize, jowar, hybrid napier, or oat grass and produce silage for use in the TMR plant.
• The focus of White Revolution 2.0: The next phase of the White Revolution must focus on reducing the cost of milk production at the farm-gate, rather than continually increasing procurement prices. By promoting the cultivation of high-yielding green fodder grasses and implementing innovative feeding strategies like TMR, the dairy industry can enhance milk production efficiency and ensure the sustainability of dairy farming.