India's Milk Supply Unaffected by West Asia Crisis, Says Govt

"Milk procurement processing and supply across the country have remained uninterrupted amid the ongoing West Asia crisis. Price of milk and milk products is stable. No supply disruptions have occurred in the market and payments to dairy farmers have continued throughout the crisis period," said Rustagi during an inter-ministerial briefing.

She said the government has been actively monitoring the situation and taking steps to ensure continuity in the dairy value chain.

"The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has been closely monitoring the situation and has taken a series of proactive measures to ensure smooth operations in the daily value chain," she added.

Rustagi highlighted that fuel supply to dairy operations has been secured through government intervention.

"Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued an order on April 8, 2026, ensuring critical industries, including dairy processing plants, will receive 70 per cent of their pre-March 2026 bulk non-domestic LPG supply. This has averted any disruption in the dairy operations," she said.

To reduce dependence on LPG, dairy units have also been advised to shift to alternative energy sources where possible.

"All dairy plants are advised to transition from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG), wherever operationally feasible to reduce dependence on LPG," she noted.

On packaging, Rustagi said there is no shortage affecting the sector. "As regards to plastic packaging materials, there is no shortage of plastic packaging material to dairy sector. And the supplies are stable," she said.

She added that coordination with other ministries and stakeholders has helped address concerns. "We are a member of the Joint Working Group of Petro Chemicals... we have flagged our concerns regarding packaging material and they have been resolved," she said, adding that the department is "closely coordinating with the suppliers of plastic packaging material for smooth supply across the country."

The government has also intensified engagement with state-level bodies to track the situation on the ground.

"Yesterday we had a meeting with the state milk federation and milk unions across India to review the milk situation and monitor the impact of West Asia crisis on the dairy sector," she said.

Reiterating the stability of key inputs, she said, "There are no issues related to the supply of fuel gas and plastic packaging material to the dairy sector."

Rustagi further noted that a digital system is in place for continuous monitoring and coordination. "We have a dedicated portal. All the state federations and milk unions are members of this portal," she said.

On the export front, the government has also eased procedures to support trade flows. "A simplified animal quarantine clearance procedure was notified on March 25, 2026, to facilitate easy return of exported cargo to Indian ports," she added.

- ANI