28 October 2009 – Indian milk production is expected to increase by 3.9 per cent in manufacturing year 2010-2011, a US government report has said.
The prediction assumes a near-normal monsoon.
The expected increase is due to rising domestic demand supported by growing disposable income of India’s middle income group.
The predicted output for milk for 2009-2010 is 109 million tons, the report said.
In addition, India is projected to produce 400,000 tons of Non-Fat Dry Milk (NFDM) in 2010-2011 compared to 370,000 tons in 2009-2010. The increase in production is due to increasing demand and stable exports.
Exports of NFDM are forecast to increase to 35,000 tons in 2010-2011 compared to 30,000 tons in 2009-2010.
The report went on to say that food price inflation and the global economic slowdown had little effect on domestic milk consumption which remains a basic staple.