File image: Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan. photo Credit: –
Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday asked dairy industry leaders to adhere to quality norms and also cautioned them that non-compliance undermines market access and allows fraudulent players to flourish at the expense of honest businesses seeking international recognition.
Inaugurating the 52nd Dairy Industry Conference organized by the Indian Dairy Association (Northern Region), Paswan said India has the potential to establish itself as the dairy basket of the world, capable of addressing the global shortage through better organization and strategic market channeling.
“Today, India has the potential to present itself as a global basket. We just need to be more organised, channelised and move in this direction,” he said.
Highlighting that millions of dairy farmers and the entire dairy value chain act as a strong bridge between rural and urban India, contributing to the vision of a developed India, collective efforts are needed across all dairy processing sectors to raise the quality of our product to global standards.
industry responsibility
He said that Indian dairy products should not only meet international standards but also establish a strong presence in global markets and households, for which he assured the government’s support.
The minister said when the government makes policies – including resolving GST issues and promoting dairy processing through central schemes – it is the responsibility of the industry to implement them and ensure quality products reach domestic and international consumers.
Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, SP Singh Baghel said milk production has increased by 69.41 per cent in the last 11 years to reach 247.87 million tonnes in 2024-25 with an annual growth of 6.31 per cent, as against the global growth rate of 2 per cent.
Addressing the gathering, IDA President Sudhir Kumar Singh said the recently announced interim trade agreement framework between India and the US does not pose any risk to India’s dairy sector. “Our dairy farmers are safe and protected. There is no need to worry,” he confirmed.
He further clarified that import of animal feed like Dried Distillers Grains (DDGS) is limited and does not have an adverse impact on Indian farmers or milk producers.
Published on February 12, 2026
