How Banas Dairy Has Augmented Milk Production; New Potato Processing Unit to Take On Global Brands

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a dairy complex at Banas Dairy Sankul in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district on April 19, and also laid foundation stones of several other development projects. The dairy, which was opened under India’s ‘Operation Flood’ (increase in milk production) nearly 40 years ago, had launched its third unit in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh last year. The Banaskanth District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited already runs milk processing plants in Kanpur and Lucknow.

The Prime Minister’s Office said the new dairy complex in Banaskantha is a greenfield project, and will enable the processing of about 30 lakh litres of milk, produce about 80 tonnes of butter, one lakh litres of ice cream, 20 tonnes of condensed milk (Khoya) and 6 tonnes of chocolate daily.

“The development initiatives at Banas Dairy will empower farmers and boost the rural economy. We can experience here how cooperative movement can give strength to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign,” PM Modi said today.

He will also dedicate a Banas community radio station to the nation. The radio station will provide information on agriculture and animal husbandry to farmers, and will connect with over five lakh farmers of about 1,700 villages.

“I am delighted to be visiting Banas Dairy yet again. I had last visited the Dairy in 2016. That time a series of products of the Dairy were launched. I had also visited the Dairy in 2013. Here are glimpses from both programmes,” PM Modi had tweeted.

The Banas Dairy plant, inaugurated in 1971, is spread across 122 acres in Jagana village in Palanpur. Today, its average daily capacity of milk production is 5.7 million litres.

Where are Other Units of Banas Dairy?

The dairy has units in Faridabad in Haryana, which can process 13.5 lakh litre milk every day. BJP leader Sankar Chaudhary, who has been heading Banas Dairy since 2015, has been driving its expansion in north India. Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of Banas Dairy in Varanasi last year.

According to Chaudhary, Banas Dairy has started milk procurement on Amul pattern in Uttar Pradesh. The biggest plant is at Jaunpur, which produces 8 lakh litre of milk pouches every day.

Banas Dairy manufactures 50 MT Ghee, 5.5 LLPD UHT milk, 30 MT cheese, and 20 MT processed cheese, 2.5 LLPD pouch milk, 1.5 LLPD buttermilk and 255 MT powder milk every day, according to its website.

Other Ventures

According to reports, Banas is planning to set up a potato processing unit in north Gujarat to tap into the growing demand of potato-based products in the world. The unit is likely to come up in Banaskanth district, which is known for potato farming. The plant is expected have to process 48 lakh tonne of potatoes every day and will produce French fries, tikkis, chips and patties and other potato products to take on global competition.

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