Economic Survey 2011: India may import milk by 2022

Consider this over a glass of milk: In another 10 years, your kids may think it quite normal to glug down imported milk.

The world’s biggest milk maker has not been able to keep pace with the demands at home and may soon turn a net importer — if it does not urgently focus policy and investment into the dairy sector. India’s milk requirement is expected to be 180 mt by 2021-22. We now produce only 112 mt. This means milk output must go up by 5.5% per annum over the next 12 years, compared with the current growth rate of 4%.

The more the economy grows, the more expensive and in short supply milk is likely to get. In urban areas, the demand for processed and packaged dairy produce will grow in consonance with a growing population with higher disposable income and higher health consciousness.

Already, the per capita availability of milk at 253 gms/day in 2009-10 was much lower than in developed countries, although it was well above the developing county average. “A large consumer like India entering the international market would have the potential to cause international prices to spurt,” the Survey cautions. It pitches for urgent and focused supply and investment response to the home milk market.aa