Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the world’s largest curd manufacturing plant in Kolkata under the Amul Bengal Dairy Project. The ₹700-crore project will process up to 30 lakh litres of milk daily and benefit lakhs of dairy farmers in West Bengal.
Amit Shah Launches Major Dairy Infrastructure Project in West Bengal
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the world’s largest curd manufacturing plant under the Amul Bengal Dairy Project at the New Town Convention Centre in Kolkata.
The project is being developed as part of the Centre’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” and “White Revolution 2.0”, aimed at strengthening India’s cooperative dairy sector, increasing farmers’ incomes and expanding modern dairy infrastructure.
Several senior leaders and officials attended the ceremony, including West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Gujarat Legislative Assembly Speaker Shankarbhai Chaudhary, senior West Bengal ministers, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agrawal, Amul Dairy Chairman Ashok Chaudhary and representatives of the cooperative sector.
Plant to Process 10 Lakh Litres of Milk in First Phase
Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah described the project as a landmark initiative for dairy farmers and livestock rearers in West Bengal.
He said the first phase of the plant will process 10 lakh litres of milk per day, directly benefiting nearly 1.20 lakh small milk producers and livestock rearers across the state.
Once fully completed, the Amul Bengal Dairy Project will have the capacity to process 30 lakh litres of milk every day, making it one of India’s largest dairy processing facilities.
World’s Largest Curd Manufacturing Facility
According to project details, the dairy complex will be capable of producing approximately 1,000 metric tonnes (10 lakh kilograms) of curd and other cultured dairy products every day, making it the largest curd manufacturing plant in the world.
The proposed daily production capacity will also include:
- 10 lakh litres of packaged milk
- 2 lakh litres of UHT milk
- 1 lakh litres of ice cream
- 20 metric tonnes of paneer
- 10 metric tonnes of ghee
- 10 metric tonnes of traditional sweets
- Around 2.5 lakh packs of flavoured milk
The facility is expected to significantly expand West Bengal’s dairy processing and value-addition capabilities.
₹700-Crore Investment to Strengthen Dairy Sector
The Amul Bengal Dairy Project is being established at the Howrah Food Park with an investment of approximately ₹700 crore.
The project will strengthen:
- Modern milk processing infrastructure
- Cold-chain logistics
- Dairy value addition
- Marketing and distribution networks
- Rural dairy cooperatives
Officials said the facility will provide dairy farmers with transparent procurement systems and stable market access, helping improve income security for milk producers.
Land Allocation to Encourage Investment
Amit Shah said that at his request, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari agreed to provide 30 acres of land free of cost for the Amul Federation.
According to Shah, the decision has paved the way for nearly 100 major investments in West Bengal and is expected to help around 2.5 lakh livestock rearers secure better prices for the milk they supply.
He also highlighted Amul’s cooperative model, noting that the federation is connected with over 18,600 rural dairy cooperative societies across India.
Shah said that for every ₹100 spent by consumers on Amul products, approximately ₹87 reaches farmers and livestock rearers, reinforcing the cooperative model’s farmer-centric approach.
Centre to Establish Animal Breed Improvement Facility
The Union Minister also announced plans to strengthen dairy productivity in West Bengal through scientific livestock development.
He said the Central Government intends to establish a Centre for Animal Breed Improvement in the state to provide farmers access to high-yielding cattle breeds.
Additionally, a Sex-Sorted Semen Facility will be developed to improve breeding efficiency, increase the number of milch animals and enhance long-term milk production.
Boost for Rural Economy and Employment
The Amul Bengal Dairy Project is expected to create substantial employment opportunities while strengthening the rural economy.
Officials believe the project will:
- Increase dairy farmers’ incomes
- Promote rural entrepreneurship
- Expand cooperative dairy societies
- Improve milk collection and processing
- Generate employment in logistics, processing and marketing
- Support the objectives of White Revolution 2.0
The project is also expected to improve the availability of quality dairy products while enhancing West Bengal’s role in India’s dairy sector.
Key Takeaways
- Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for the world’s largest curd manufacturing plant in Kolkata.
- The ₹700-crore Amul Bengal Dairy Project will eventually process 30 lakh litres of milk daily.
- The first phase will process 10 lakh litres of milk per day, benefiting 1.20 lakh dairy farmers.
- The plant will produce 1,000 metric tonnes of curd and cultured dairy products daily, making it the world’s largest facility of its kind.
- The Central Government also plans to establish an Animal Breed Improvement Centre and Sex-Sorted Semen Facility in West Bengal to improve dairy productivity.
FAQs
Where is the world’s largest curd manufacturing plant being built?
The plant is being developed under the Amul Bengal Dairy Project at the Howrah Food Park in West Bengal, with the foundation stone laid in Kolkata.
What is the investment in the project?
The Amul Bengal Dairy Project involves an investment of approximately ₹700 crore.
How much milk will the plant process?
The first phase will process 10 lakh litres of milk per day, while the fully operational facility will have a capacity of 30 lakh litres per day.
How will the project benefit farmers?
The project will provide transparent milk procurement, better market access, value addition, improved cold-chain infrastructure and higher income opportunities for dairy farmers and livestock rearers.
What additional initiatives were announced?
The Centre announced plans to establish an Animal Breed Improvement Centre and a Sex-Sorted Semen Facility in West Bengal to improve livestock quality and enhance milk production.
