Dhagwar milk plant to boost rural economy: Agri Minister

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar visited the under-construction milk processing plant at Dhagwar near Dharamsala on Friday and directed officials to complete the project within the stipulated timeframe.

He said the state government is providing financial support for the construction of the facility, which is expected to be completed by February 2026. Terming the plant a “milestone” in strengthening the rural economy, the minister said it will significantly boost incomes of farmers in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Chamba and

Una districts.

He said the plant would have an initial processing capacity of 1.50 lakh litres of milk per day, which can be expanded to 3 lakh litres in the future. Once operational, it is expected to directly benefit over 35,000 milk producers in the region, in addition to generating both direct and indirect employment

opportunities.

Kumar added the facility would not only enhance the income of milk producers but also create jobs in areas such as milk collection, processing, quality control and distribution. It would further support livelihoods in related sectors like transportation, supply chain management and maintenance services.

Highlighting recent progress, he noted the state government’s decision to increase milk procurement rates has already resulted in a rise in Milkfed’s daily collection capacity from 1.40 lakh litres to 2.10 lakh litres.

The minister said the Dhagwar plant, equipped with modern infrastructure, would produce a wide range of dairy products including curd, lassi, butter, ghee, paneer, flavoured milk, khoya and mozzarella cheese.

Kumar reiterated the state government’s commitment to rural development, saying the priority is being given to improving the financial condition of villagers. To this end, the government has revised the minimum support price for both cow and buffalo milk, he added.