Livestock, technology in focus at Karnal's Dairy Mela
A three-day National Dairy Mela and Agricultural Expo-2026 began on Friday at the ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal. The event was inaugurated by Dr Raghavendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Sciences), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Presiding over the inaugural function, ICAR-NDRI Director Dr Dheer Singh said the Mela provides a unique platform for farmers and livestock owners to learn about the latest government schemes and technologies related to dairy farming. He noted that around 70-80 million people depend on animal husbandry for their livelihood, of which about 17 per cent are women.
“Milk is a complete food and India produces about 25 per cent of the world’s total milk, ranking first globally in production,” he said.
Speaking about productivity, he said the Karan Fries cow breed, developed by NDRI, has recently been registered. A Karan Fries cow can produce up to 46 litres of milk, while the average yield is around 14 litres per cow. He thanked the farmers and livestock owners for participating in the fair, adding that the mela provides information on various aspects of dairy farming, including milk production, nutrition, processing and extension services at one place.
Chief guest Dr Raghavendra Bhatta said India produces nearly a quarter of the world’s milk and is ahead of countries such as the United States, China and Brazil in milk production. He said India currently produces 248 million tonnes of milk. “The target is to increase this to 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 600 million tonnes by 2047,” he added.
Addressing farmers, livestock owners and animal lovers, Dr Bhatta said Uttar Pradesh leads the country in milk production, followed by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. He noted that the average daily milk consumption in the country is currently 484 grams. However, there is growing demand for milk in processed forms such as cheese and other dairy products, especially for children.
Dr Bhatta also emphasised the need to make India free from foot-and-mouth disease by 2035, stating that achieving this goal would help the country expand its milk exports.
Guest of honour Dr SK Malhotra, Vice-Chancellor of Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal, highlighted the importance of integrated farming involving horticulture and dairy. He stressed the need to integrate all allied sectors of agriculture to ensure holistic development of the agricultural sector.
Dr Rajan Sharma, Joint Director (Research) at NDRI, said various programmes will be organised during the three-day Dairy Mela to address farmers’ dairy-related problems using NDRI technologies and techniques. He informed that 16 NDRI divisions and eight ICAR institutes, along with 70 commercial stalls, have been set up at the expo. He also said that farmers and livestock owners have brought around 400 animals to participate in different competitions, with a total prize pool of Rs 12 lakh for the events.
Himanshu Khatri, Assistant General Manager at NABARD, briefed about programmes being run by NABARD for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and highlighted its collaboration with NDRI. Dr NH Mohan, Director of NBAGR, also addressed the gathering. Dr AK Singh, Joint Director (Academics), proposed the vote of thanks.
