Govt Targets 20% Milk Processing Capacity in J&K: Javid Dar

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26 Apr 2026

Calls for closer coordination between Animal Husbandry and Cooperative departments

JAMMU, APRIL 26: The government is planning a major expansion of milk processing capacity in Jammu and Kashmir—from the current 4 percent to 20 percent—under a large-scale dairy infrastructure push, Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar said on Saturday, adding that the move aims to boost value addition and improve returns for dairy farmers and cooperatives.

Dar met several delegations of Milk Cooperative Societies and Dairy Farmers from across Jammu Division who apprised him of their demands for strengthening the sector.

The delegation sought interventions in milk procurement prices regulation, expansion of retail outlets at key urban locations and focused training support for the youth to set up dairy units. They also raised demand for increasing cooperative registrations, access to credit and need for stronger marketing and logistics.

Responding to the demands, the Minister called for closer coordination between the Animal Husbandry and Cooperative departments to ensure that farmers receive timely and effective support. He directed the officers to address the bottlenecks on priority and improve ground-level facilitation for dairy cooperatives.

Javid Dar said that strengthening of the cooperatives is central to improve the farmer incomes and make the dairy sector more viable. He stressed the need to align institutional support and schemes so that the benefits reach the farmers in a practical manner.

He assured the delegation that their issues will be addressed through coordinated action, with a clear focus on strengthening the dairy value chain in the region.