The Indian Dairy Association (IDA), the leading authority in India's dairy sector, organized a seminar on June 06, 2024, with the theme ‘Technological Interventions in Indian Dairy’ at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, New Delhi. The seminar was held concurrently with the Inter FoodTech exhibition and provided a dynamic platform for discussing the latest technological advancements in the dairy sector. R.S. Sodhi, President of IDA, highlighted technological advancements and government support as key to the future growth and global competitiveness of India's dairy industry.
Sodhi delivered the keynote address, emphasizing crucial technological interventions and outlining the path forward for the dairy sector. The seminar featured technical sessions encouraging dairy technology providers to showcase their breakthrough solutions aimed at enhancing productivity. The event featured prominent figures from the dairy sector, including Ajay Kumar Khosla, Vice President of IDA; Dr. Rahul Saxena, Chairman of IDA-NZ; and Hariom Gulati, Secretary General of IDA. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary (CCD/IT) of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, and Dr. Dheer Singh, Director & Vice-Chancellor of NDRI, Karnal, were esteemed guests of honor at the event.
Insights from Industry Leaders: Presentations & Discussions
The day commenced with a warm welcome address by Richie Agarwal, Member of IDA-WZ, followed by a ceremonial lamp lighting. Industry leaders then presented their latest innovations. Edwin Franklin, Category Head for Process Cooling Steam & VAM at Thermax Global, shared his insights on sustainable energy transition solutions within the dairy industry. He discussed the implementation of vapor absorption chillers, which reduce energy consumption for cooling. This technology aids industries in achieving better resource productivity and improving their bottom line while maintaining a cleaner environment.
Neeraj Kumar, Managing Director of DeLaval Pvt. Ltd., shared his insights on the importance of dairy farm mechanization, highlighting that DeLaval offers a diverse range of fully integrated solutions designed to enhance dairy operations. Ragini Sharma, Product Manager at Scientific and Digital Systems, discussed the theme 'Dairy Industry in Sync with Technology.' She explained that Scientific and Digital Systems meet the needs of the food and agriculture industry by providing advanced instrumentation from overseas manufacturers who produce highly technical and application-oriented instruments.
Karan Nangia, Managing Director of Benny Impex Pvt. Ltd., discussed the Ekomilk Spectra, an adulteration detection analyzer crucial for procuring quality milk. This technology is vital for the Indian dairy industry to expand its global market presence. Benny Impex offers cutting-edge automatic online testing solutions and system integration, leveraging emerging technologies and advancements in information technology.
Ashish Kumar Singh, Marketing Manager for India at Kanha Milk Testing Equipments Pvt. Ltd., shared insights on the evolution and acceptance of milk analyzer manufacturing in India. Their product range includes the Ultrasonic Milk Analyzer, Ultrasonic Stirrer, Data Processing Unit with GSM & GPRS, DPU Milk Collection Unit, Electronic Weighing Scale, Vehicle Tracking System, and Automatic Milk Collection Unit.
Sodhi underscored the significance of technological interventions in fostering the future advancement of the dairy industry during his address. These include automation in milk collection, creating cold chains at the village level, ensuring food safety, and addressing supply chain challenges. He stated, “Unless sustained efforts are made to implement strategies and programs to augment the availability of feeds and fodder resources and to improve their efficiency of utilization, it may not be possible to sustain the required growth in milk production.”
Sodhi further projected the promising future of the dairy sector, saying, “In the coming 25 years, if there is an industry that will grow, it is dairy. Policymakers and political leadership should recognize how dairy farmers can contribute to India’s food security and livelihood.”
He also underscored the essential support the dairy industry needs from the government, including measures like curbing imports, adjusting GST on ghee, and aligning budget allocations with the industry's significant contributions.
Government Support and Industry Initiatives
During her address, Varsha Joshi emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in advancing the dairy industry. She shed light on the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) and its associated benefits, urging stakeholders to leverage its resources. Furthermore, Joshi underscored the positive impact of AI, IoT, and other emerging technologies in the dairy sector. Addressing the challenge of rising feed and fodder costs, she stressed the necessity for innovation to drive down expenses in this area.
Dheer Singh emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in the dairy industry amidst technological advancements. He stressed the importance of businesses prioritizing nutrition while considering the sustainability aspect of the dairy sector. Singh acknowledged that while there are alternative milk varieties like soy milk available in the market, milk remains irreplaceable. He highlighted Indian dairy as a solution to the malnutrition and food security challenges faced by the country.
Singh further stated, “Smart and sustainable dairying is a pathway to enhance India's global food security index and income security.” He advocated for promoting both bovine and non-bovine milk, reducing production costs, enhancing animal productivity, and conducting awareness programs on dairy consumption and health. Singh emphasized the need to ensure income security for farmers and their families, stressing the importance of achieving this sustainability.
Panel 1: Embracing Innovation: The Future of Indian Dairy
Following this, an insightful panel discussion was convened on ‘Embracing Innovation: The Future of Indian Dairy.’ Each panelist shared their company's journey, highlighted the technologies they employ, and proposed strategies to further elevate the dairy sector in India. Subsequently, an engaging dialogue unfolded among all panelists, centered around innovation and its pivotal role in shaping the Indian dairy industry. They deliberated on how innovations across the entire dairy value chain can enhance performance, citing successful examples such as the use of solar energy for milk cooling and extrusion technology for ice cream manufacturing.
The panel comprised esteemed figures including Manish Bandlish, Managing Director of Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd.; R.G. Chandramogan, Chairman of Hatsun Agro Product Ltd.; R.S. Dixit, Managing Director of Ananda Dairy Ltd.; Sachin Raverkar, Director of Dairy Business at GEA Process Engineering (India); and Jai Agarwal, Managing Director of CP Milk (Gyan Dairy). Dr. J.B. Prajapati, Chairman of IDA-WZ, expertly moderated the discussion, ensuring a rich exchange of ideas and insights.
Panel 2: Innovation in Dairy Processing and Packaging
The second panel discussion revolved around the theme of ‘Innovation in Dairy Processing and Packaging.’ Panelists shared their expertise and insights on various critical topics, including food security through automation, milk handling automation, resource efficiency in the dairy industry, achieving net-zero emissions, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), circular economy, and other relevant aspects of innovation in dairy processing and packaging.
The panelists comprised Ritesh Dhingra, Managing Director of Multivac Laraon India; Parag Patwardhan, Vice President of Sales at NICKROME India Ltd.; Pradeep Hada, Head of Sales at Krones India Private Ltd.; and Bhavin Soni, General Manager of Marketing at Samarpan Fabrication Pvt Ltd. The entire discussion was moderated by Ashutosh Manohar, former Managing Director of the South Asia Market at Tetra Pak India.
The seminar concluded with a hopeful outlook for the future of the dairy industry, as expressed in the closing remarks by Hariom Gulati, Secretary General of IDA, followed by a group photograph, marking the end of a successful and informative event.
