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Abstract
Indian dairy sector has shown tremendous growth in terms of milk production, from 17 million tonnes
(1950-51) to 112 million tonnes (2009-10). This transition from deficiency to sufficiency has been achieved
by a series of policy interventions by the government. It has been found that in the first phase of ‘Operation
Flood’, growth rate of value-added products was 0.93 per cent per annum, but in the third phase, it became
9.10 per cent per annum. Milk processing in India is around 35 per cent, of which the organized dairy
industry accounts for only 13 per cent of the milk produced, the remaining 22 per cent is processed in the
unorganized sector. To explore the diversity and market exploration for enhancing the value in milk, the
study has identified the untapped demand of different dairy and dairy products in ethnically diversified
rural urban groups. The paper has highlighted certain dairy development policies to encourage growth of
the dairy sector. While value addition in milk is unavoidable if one has to enhance sector profitability, the
same does not seem feasible unless the organized sector improves its penetration. Because, it is the
involvement of the organized sector that will drive the growth by resorting to value addition in basic
product and harnessing the consumer market. The mechanics of the organized sector penetration could be
agency-specific as also area-specific.