The cooperative dairy movement received a major boost on Sunday as Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah performed the Bhoomi Pujan for what is being described as the world’s largest curd (dahi) manufacturing plant under the Amul Bengal Dairy Project. The ₹700 crore facility will be established at the Howrah Food Park and is expected to significantly expand dairy processing capacity in West Bengal.
Speaking at the event in Kolkata, Shah said the project reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi“ and “White Revolution 2.0“, with a focus on strengthening the cooperative model, enhancing value addition, and improving farmers’ incomes.
Once fully operational, the integrated dairy facility is expected to process 30 lakh litres of milk per day and produce nearly 10 lakh kilograms of curd and other cultured dairy products daily, making it one of the largest such facilities globally. In the first phase, the plant will process 10 lakh litres of milk per day, benefiting an estimated 1.2 lakh milk producers across the state.
Beyond curd production, the project will include facilities for 10 lakh litres per day of milk packing, 2 lakh litres per day of UHT milk processing, 1 lakh litres per day of ice cream production, 20 metric tonnes of paneer, 10 metric tonnes of ghee, 10 metric tonnes of sweets, and 2.5 lakh packs of flavoured milk every day. The facility will also have the capacity to manufacture 1,000 metric tonnes of dahi and other cultured dairy products daily.
Highlighting the cooperative model’s role in rural prosperity, Shah said that dairy cooperatives such as Amul ensure a larger share of consumer spending reaches milk producers instead of intermediaries. He expressed confidence that the project would provide better price realisation for farmers while helping West Bengal’s renowned mishti doi reach consumers across the country.
Shah also acknowledged the West Bengal government’s decision to provide 30 acres of land free of cost for the project, stating that it has facilitated major investments in the state’s dairy sector.
In addition, he announced a breed improvement programme for dairy animals in West Bengal, including the establishment of a Sex-Sorted Semen facility to enhance milk productivity. The Centre also plans to roll out more than 70 farmer welfare initiatives in the state over the next six months.
The Amul Bengal Dairy Project is expected to strengthen dairy infrastructure, expand cold-chain capacity, promote value-added dairy products, and reinforce the cooperative-led growth model envisioned under White Revolution 2.0. Read more about launch of ‘White Revolution 2.0’ to boost dairy cooperative sector as well as its ‘Margdarshika’ and SOP.
