Amit Shah Lays Foundation Stone for Mother Dairy’s Fruit and Vegetable Processing Plant in Gujarat.

During the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Anand, Gujarat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for a new ₹210 crore fruit and vegetable processing plant by Mother Dairy, set to be established near Vadodara.

The facility, located in Itola, will have the capacity to process five metric tonnes of fruit pulp per hour and produce two metric tonnes of french fries per hour, with products marketed under Mother Dairy's "Safal" brand.

In his address at the event, Shah emphasized the need for NDDB to expand its focus beyond milk production. "In one of the NDDB board meetings, I urged them to broaden their scope. I am pleased to see them venturing into fruit and vegetable processing. Farmers growing these crops often face exploitation and do not receive fair compensation," he stated. He highlighted that processing vegetables would enable farmers' produce to reach global markets, thereby benefiting them through the cooperative model.

In addition to the processing plant, Shah also laid the foundation stone for a ₹74 crore polyfilm plant in Narela, New Delhi. This facility, with a capacity of 8,400 metric tonnes per annum, will cater to the packaging needs of milk, curd, and ghee, creating around 100 jobs and expected to be operational by 2026.

Shah noted India's status as the world's largest milk producer, with a cumulative production of 231 million tonnes, surpassing the United States. He emphasized the importance of integrating the 6.5 crore milk-producing families currently outside the cooperative framework into NDDB’s model to ensure they receive fair treatment and support.

He urged NDDB to expedite its initiatives, pointing out that several states have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the board to enhance dairy sector efforts.

During the event, Shah also inaugurated new products, including Gir Ghee from Mother Dairy and Badri Ghee from the Uttarakhand Cooperative Dairy Federation. Additionally, multiple MoUs were signed to further advance the dairy sector, including collaborations with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for research in animal health and sustainability, and agreements to promote organic farming and establish a compressed biogas plant for sustainable energy.

Another notable partnership was formed between NDDB and the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO, utilizing remote sensing technology to assess fodder resources for improved management.

HBL