Dairy Industry

Maharashtra govt bans analogue paneer for a year over food safety concerns

The Maharashtra government has imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture and sale of "analogue" or non-dairy paneer in view of public health concerns and widespread violations of food safety norms, officials said on Wednesday. Offenders could face life imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, as per a recent government order. Maharashtra is the second state after Chhattisgarh to impose such a ban. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it found that several hotels, restaurants, caterers and other food establishments were using analogue paneer in place of conventional paneer without disclosing the substitution on menus, invoices or display boards. Analogue paneer is a non-dairy substitute made using vegetable oils, starches, emulsifiers and other additives instead of milk fat. It is cheaper to produce than conventional paneer and generally contains lower protein levels. A gazette notification issued by Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has prohibited the

There's not enough whey for the world's high-protein product demand

Global consumers want more protein in every bite, but the dairy industry is struggling to give it to them. Athletes and older adults have long used smoothies and shakes blended with whey protein concentrate a powdered byproduct of cheese-making to build or maintain muscle. More recently, food companies have sprinkled it into everything from breakfast cereals, Pop-Tarts and potato chips to bagels, tortillas and Starbucks drinks to meet growing consumer demand. The average US supermarket now has 38,708 products advertising their protein content, according to NielsenIQ, a market research company. But the eagerness to appeal to ingredient-focused shoppers is causing shortages of food-grade whey protein and pushing prices to new records. "Demand is very firm and seemingly outpacing supply for right now," said Kathleen Wolfley, vice president of Ever.Ag Insights, a data provider and consulting company for the agriculture industry. Wholesale prices for whey protein began rising in 2024

Livestock heat stress: Heatwaves test India's dairy and poultry sectors

Rising temperatures are affecting milk yields, poultry growth and farmer incomes, even as companies and farmers invest in heat-resilience measures

Milky Mist raises ₹482 crore from Temasek subsidiary in pre-IPO round

The dairy company raised ₹357 crore via primary infusion and ₹125 crore through secondary share sale, with Temasek arm Jongsong Investments anchoring the pre-IPO funding round

Amit Shah lays foundation of 10,000 litres per day dairy plant in Kargil

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday laid the foundation stone of a 10,000 litres per day dairy plant in Kargil and launched a series of dairy development initiatives for Ladakh through virtual mode, officials said. The initiatives, launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, include mobile milk testing laboratories, modern milk cooling systems and strengthening of dairy infrastructure aimed at boosting self-reliance in the Union Territory, they said. Officials said a modern dairy processing plant with a capacity of 10,000 litres per day is being set up at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore by Indian Dairy Machinery Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). The project is being implemented under the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) of the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, with a grant of Rs 12.74 crore, assistance of Rs 10 crore from NDDF and the remaining financing through LUTDCF .

In praise of Amul, now a trillion-rupee business, driven by trust and value

From design thinking to tech adoption, the brand has been ahead of the curve

Protein shift is adding much-needed margin to India's dairy industry

Rising protein awareness is pushing India's dairy sector beyond low-margin liquid milk, driving a shift towards value-added products like whey, cheese, and fortified dairy

Is that milk? One in three samples fails quality tests nationwide

As India's dairy production reaches record highs, synthetic milk rackets are compromising the nation's foundational staple

Comply with quality norms to gain global edge, Paswan tells dairy industry

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday called upon the dairy industry to adhere to quality regulations, warning that non-compliance undermines market access and allows fraudulent players to thrive at the expense of honest businesses seeking international recognition. Speaking at the 52nd Dairy Industry Conference organised by the Indian Dairy Association (North Zone), Paswan said India has the potential to position itself as the world's dairy basket, capable of addressing global shortages through better organisation and strategic market channelling. "Today, India has the capacity to present itself as a global basket. We just need to be more organised in this direction, channelised and move forward," Paswan said, asserting that the dairy sector has a crucial role in building a globally competitive India. The minister said while the government formulates policies - including resolving GST issues and promoting dairy processing through central schemes - it i

Milky Mist Dairy Food to invest ₹1,130 crore in Maharashtra dairy unit

Milky Mist Dairy Food has signed an MoU with the Maharashtra government to set up a large milk processing and dairy products manufacturing unit, creating about 800 direct jobs

Parag Milk Foods Q2 results: Net profit jumps 56% to ₹45 cr on higher sales

Parag Milk Foods Ltd reported 56.28 per cent surge in consolidated net profit to Rs 45.65 crore for the second quarter of the 2025-26 fiscal on higher sales. The company had clocked a net profit of Rs 29.21 crore in the same quarter previous fiscal, according to a regulatory filing. Total income rose 15.58 per cent to Rs 1,025.98 crore in the July-September quarter of the 2025-26 fiscal, from Rs 887.61 crore in the year-ago. Expenses remained higher at Rs 975.49 crore as against Rs 852.04 crore in the said period. The Pune-based dairy sells milk and milk-related products in the brand name such as Gowardhan, Go, Pride of Cows. Its subsidiary firm in Dubai incorporated during 2024-25 fiscal is yet to commence operation.

Milk without cows? Inside the science of lab-grown milk shaking dairy world

Lab-grown milk, sometimes called "animal-free dairy," is real dairy produced without cows and contains actual milk proteins (casein and whey)

India's dairy sector grew by 70% in last 11 years, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said India has made significant strides in the dairy sector over the past 11 years, noting that it has grown by 70 per cent during this period and is now the fastest-growing sector in the world. He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's dairy sector has expanded by 70 per cent in terms of capacity. In the world, India's dairy sector is the fastest-growing, Shah said after inaugurating the newly constructed Sabar Dairy Plant facility in Industrial Model Township here, as part of efforts to promote the cooperative sector. Built at a cost of Rs 325 crore, the plant will house state-of-the-art machinery and is expected to generate direct and indirect employment. The newly inaugurated Sabar Dairy plant here is the country's largest production facility for curd, buttermilk, and yogurt, with a daily capacity of 150 metric tonnes of curd, 3 lakh litres of buttermilk, 10 lakh litres of yogurt, and 10 metric tonnes of ...

Mother Dairy to pass on benefits of GST reduction to consumers: MD

Mother Dairy on Thursday said it will pass on the benefits of the reduction in GST on a wide range of products to consumers. Mother Dairy is one of the leading dairy firms in the country. It clocked a turnover of Rs 17,500 crore in the last fiscal year. Reacting to the decision of the GST Council, Manish Bandlish, Managing Director of Mother Dairy, said, " We commend the Union Government's decision to reduce GST rates on a wider range of dairy products, including paneer, cheese, ghee, butter, UHT milk, milk-based beverages, and ice creams." The move would significantly boost the affordability and accessibility of value-added dairy products for consumers. "This is a particularly big boost for packaged categories, which are fast-growing favourites in Indian homes and will see stronger demand momentum going forward," Bandlish said. Mother Dairy is committed to ensuring that the advantages of this reform are effectively passed on to the consumers, he assured. "By lowering the tax sla

Amul operator GCMMF unanimously elects Ashokbhai B Chaudhary as chairman

The election meeting was held on Tuesday and witnessed full participation from all 18 member unions of GCMMF, the dairy major said in its release

Milky Mist files DRHP for largest dairy IPO in India, raising ₹2,035 cr

Milky Mist Dairy Food has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with SEBI to raise ₹2,035 crore through an IPO, marking the largest IPO in India's dairy space to date

Rising dairy demand may worsen global nutrition and climate risks

With trade providing only limited relief, we're most likely to see shortages, as rising demand from developing countries is met with limited increases in supply

US flags India's dairy import rules at WTO, calls them 'trade barriers'

The US told the WTO that India's updated dairy certificate remains trade-restrictive and unscientific, raising concerns as both sides negotiate a broader bilateral trade agreement

MilkLane seal Rs 400 crore supply deal with dairy major Milky Mist

Partnership will help 10,000 farmers by ensuring fair pricing and access to high-nutrition cattle feed solutions, say companies

Mother Dairy eyes Rs 20,000 cr in revenue, launches 'pro' range of products

The company, on Wednesday, launched a new Pro range of products enriched with protein