India’s position as the global leader in milk production has been driven by the performance of the top Milk Producing States in India.
This is because the top five states that lead in milk production are responsible for 53.98% of India’s milk output. The percentage share is even higher at 81.78% when the top ten states are considered.
Not just for the record, but the livestock sector, specifically dairy farming, is a reliable source of income and employment for many rural households.
It also plays a key role in improving socio-economic status and fulfilling nutritional requirements, especially in rural India.
Currently, the total milk production in India is 23,92,99,000 tonnes (239.29 million tonnes), and the per capita milk availability is at 471 grams per day.
The entire credit for making India the largest producer of milk in the world goes to these top milk producing states in India, their initiatives, and the cooperative societies present.
Let us have a detailed look at those states that have high milk production and per capita availability.
| State | Milk Production (in 000 Tonnes) | Percentage Share | Per Capita Milk Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 38780 | 16.20% | 450 |
| Rajasthan | 34733 | 14.51% | 1171 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 21326 | 8.91% | 673 |
| Gujarat | 18312 | 7.64% | 700 |
| Maharashtra | 16045 | 6.70% | 347 |
| Punjab | 14000 | 5.85% | 1245 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 13994 | 5.84% | 709 |
| Karnataka | 13463 | 5.62% | 543 |
| Bihar | 12853 | 5.37% | 277 |
| Haryana | 12220 | 5.10% | 1105 |
1. Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is the largest milk producing state in India and has consistently maintained its top position over the years. In 2023-24, Uttar Pradesh produced 38,780,000 tonnes (38.78 million tonnes) of milk, which is 16.20% of the nation’s share.
The factors contributing to the state’s milk production are its huge Livestock population and milk cooperative societies.
The dairy sector in Uttar Pradesh thrives mainly due to the involvement of a large rural population in dairy farming, and Most people rely on buffalo rearing.
Despite its leading position and huge production numbers, the state’s per capita milk availability is relatively low at 450 grams per day. Especially when compared to states like Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
Bulandshahar, Meerut, Agra, Aligarh, and Saharanpur are the districts with the highest milk production in the state.
Uttar Pradesh still has much potential in milk production in India, considering its huge population and low per capita milk availability.
Limited dairy processing capacity, fragmented cooperative societies, and lack of large-scale milk unions are the main drawbacks in this state.
A major portion of milk produced is marketed through the unorganised sector in Uttar Pradesh, just like in most other states.
To support dairy farming and industries, the state government of Uttar Pradesh is implementing schemes and initiatives like developing dairy complexes in several cities, the Doodh Mission, and breed development.
2. Rajasthan
Producing 3,47,33,000 tonnes (34.73 million Tonnes) of milk and accounting for 14.51% of India’s output. The state of Rajasthan stands second in the list of top milk producing states in India.
Rajasthan has achieved remarkable progress in milk production and has an impressive per capita availability of milk at 1171 grams per day.
This success, despite its arid climate, is due to cooperative sector growth and the presence of several indigenous breeds like Rathi, Tharparkar, and Nagori that are well adapted to harsh climatic conditions.
Alwar, Jaipur, Sikar, and Ajmer are the districts in Rajasthan that are known for their milk production.
Coming to the milk, Buffalo milk production dominates overall, followed by cattle and goat production.
The presence of a good cooperative dairy network and large-scale cooperative dairies like the Saras dairy (Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation) and Jaipur dairy is an added advantage for dairy growth.
The state government is implementing several schemes and programs. They mainly include the veterinary health care programme, free medicine, mobile veterinary clinics, and training camps to support dairy farmers.
3. Madhya Pradesh
Standing third in the list, Madhya Pradesh had produced 2,13,26,000 tonnes (21.32 million tonnes) of milk in 2023-24, accounting for 8.91% of the nation’s share.
The per capita availability of Milk in Madhya Pradesh is 673 grams per day.
The presence of numerous village-level dairy cooperatives and a huge cattle population has contributed significantly to the dairy industry.
The Productivity of Milk per animal has also significantly improved over the years.
The Madhya Pradesh government has implemented several programs to encourage and help dairy farmers improve milk productivity. They involve providing subsidies, improving veterinary services, educating on fodder development, artificial insemination and conducting dairy management camps.
4. Gujarat
Representing one of the most successful cooperative dairy models in India through Amul, Gujarat, is an example of cooperative strength.
With 1,83,12,000 tonnes (1.83 million tonnes) of milk production and with a national share of 7.64%, Gujarat ranks fourth among all the states.
The growth of milk production in this state is steadily increasing, and the per capita availability of milk is at 700 grams per day.
The presence of a three-tier cooperative structure by Amul throughout the state, connecting village societies and milk unions to state-level units, makes the collection and processing of milk easy.
In fact, 80% of the milk produced is processed in the organized sector, which is one of the highest in India.
Also, having an efficient cold chain network with coolers alongside advanced milk testing and processing units makes the Gujarat dairy industry stand out from the rest.
5. Maharashtra
Maharashtra stands fifth among the top milk producing states in India, with a production of 16045000 tonnes (1.60 million tonnes) in 2023-24.
This state accounted for 6.70% of the country’s milk output. The per capita milk availability in Maharashtra is 347 grams per day.
Despite having a large population of dairy animals, the state has low per capita milk availability. This is due to the presence and reliance on indigenous cattle, which yield low.
The dairy sector is quite diversified, with large cooperatives, government, and private dairies.
Urban centres like Mumbai and Pune drive demand for milk and packed milk products. They also function as a driving force for daily growth and the establishment of several dairy-based industries.
Ahmednagar, Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur, Sangali, Nashik and Satara are the districts where most milk is produced in Maharashtra.
Along with national-level schemes, the state government has also taken several initiatives and provides subsidies to promote dairy farming and milk production.
6. Punjab
With 14000000 tonnes (1.40 million tonnes) of milk production in 2023-24, Panjab stands sixth in this list. It accounts for 5.85% of the total milk output in India.
In per capita milk availability, Punjab stands at the top among all states in India, with 1245 grams per day. The high per capita milk availability is due to its good production and smaller population.
The dairy sector in this state is well organized, with dairy unions, cooperative societies, and large dairies.
Ludhiana, Amritsar, Sangrur, Firozpur, and Gurdaspur districts in Punjab lead in milk production
Many farmers in the state follow the crop and dairy farming system model, which has contributed to the huge milk availability.
Having an extensive veterinary infrastructure and the support of the government for daily farms by various initiatives is an added advantage for the growth of the dairy sector in Punjab.
7. Andhra Pradesh
Contributing 5.84% of India’s milk production, Andhra Pradesh ranks seventh among the states with a milk production of 13994000 tonnes (1.39 million tonnes) for 2023-24.
The per capita milk availability in Andhra Pradesh is 709 grams per day, which is one of the highest in India, especially considering the state’s population.
Most dairy farmers rely on buffalo farming in this state. At the same time, cattle farming is also popular in the Chittor and Ananthapur regions of the state.
Unbifurcated districts of Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam and Chittoor are the districts where most milk is produced.
The presence of well-functioning channels in most regions of the state that market milk from rural areas to processing units and dairies is making dairy farming and industry thrive.
Both central and state governments are providing subsidies, dairy support programs and initiatives. They are helping the existing farmers and encouraging enthusiasts to enter dairy farming.
8. Karnataka
Another Southern state, Karnataka, is also one of the top milk producing states in India.
For 2023-24, this state produced 13463000 tonnes of milk, which is 5.62% of the nation’s share.
Regarding per capita milk availability, it is moderate at 543 grams per day.
Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF – operated by brand Nandini) is the second largest dairy cooperative in India. It has an extensive network throughout the state and procures around 85 lakh kgs of milk daily.
Coming to dairy farming, cattle farming dominates in this state than buffalo farming.
Belagum, Kalaburagi, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, and Kolar districts in Karnataka are known for their milk production.
Karnataka has immense potential for growth in dairy farming and industries. This is due to the presence of Bengaluru, where there is a massive demand for packaged dairy products.
However, the shortage of fodder is the main issue, just like in several other states.
9. Bihar
Contributing 5.37% of total milk production in India, Bihar stands ninth among the states in terms of milk Production.
Bihar produced 12853000 tonnes (1.28 million tonnes) of milk during 2023-24 and had a per capita milk availability of 277.
Having low per capita milk availability with huge cattle, the buffalo population opens a huge potential to increase milk production in the state.
Dairy in Bihar is mostly organized under the Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation Ltd (COMFED). It runs modern dairy plans and has an extensive network to collect milk from milk unions and societies.
Several schemes, programmes and initiatives are being implemented in the state to support dairy farming.
10. Haryana
Haryana, with a production of 12220000 tonnes (1.22 million tonnes) of milk for 2023-24, stands tenth in the list and contributes 5.10% of milk production in India.
This state has per capita milk availability at 1105, one of the highest in the country. This is due to huge milk production and a comparatively smaller population.
Bhiwani, Hisar, Jind, Kaithal, Karnal, and Sonipat districts in Haryana are the major milk producing regions of the state.
The majority of farmers in Haryana actively rely on buffalo farming rather than cattle farming. The famous Murrah buffalo breed, recognized for its high milk yield, comes from the regions of Haryana and Punjab.
Dairying is one of the major sources of income among farmers in rural Haryana.
The state government has taken several steps and initiatives to improve dairy farming by establishing mini-dairy units, breed development, and providing subsidies.
Other Top Milk Producing States in India
There are several other states in India that contribute significantly in terms of milk production, and some of those milk producing states are:
- Tamil Nadu
- West Bengal
- Telangana
- Jharkhand
- Jammu & Kashmir
- Odisha
- Kerala
Among these States, Tamil Nadu contributed 1.08 million tonnes for 2023-24, followed by West Bengal (0.76 million tonnes) and Telangana (0.58 million tonnes). Rest All milk producing states mentioned above contributed more than 0.2 million tonnes of milk during 2023-24.
