1: The Success of Amul: An Emblem of Empowerment

- Amul was established in 1946 as the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Limited in Anand, Gujarat.

- The prime mover behind Amul was Tribhuvandas Patel, supported by luminaries like Morarji Desai and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

- Amul turned the dairy market around in 1950, functioning as a brand for the dairy products churned out by cooperative organisations.

- It is currently managed by the GCMMF (Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation), which represents over 3.6 million milk producers in Gujarat.

- The success of the 'Amul Model' or Anand Pattern is firmly rooted in an egalitarian approach that places power and responsibility in the hands of small-scale producers.

- Amul's pathway to success has become an internationally-acclaimed case study in the arena of cooperative economics and rural development.

- Practically, the White Revolution or Operation Flood in India, launched in the 1970s was brought to life due to Amul's forward-thinking initiatives.

- Not only serving the domestic market, but Amul also exports its products to more than 50 countries today.

 2: Understanding India's White Revolution or Operation Flood

- Commissioned by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) under Verghese Kurien's (known as 'Father of White Revolution in India') leadership in 1965, the White Revolution or Operation Flood aimed to link rural milk producers with urban consumers via dairy cooperatives.

- Through three phases from 1970 to 1996, the initiative bolstered the nation's milk production and management efficiency, piloting India to the position of the world’s largest milk producer.

- Post-Operation Flood, the sector witnessed deregulation, and the private sector made an entry with a foreign equity allowance of up to 51% (excluding malted products). This led to the creation of the Milk and Milk Products Order (MMPO) in 1992 to oversee and regulate the dairy industry.

 3: Contemporary Dairy Production Scenario

- Today, India triumphantly holds the title of being the world's top milk producer, contributing to twenty-four percent of global milk production as of 2021-22.

- The last decade witnessed a rise of almost 60% in milk production, and a per capita availability increase of about 40%.

- The states excelling in milk production are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.

- The industry is flourishing at a pace of 6% per year, and India exports dairy products worth USD 284.65 Mn worldwide.

 4: Initiatives and Challenges in Dairy Sector

- Various initiatives have been launched, such as the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), National Programme for Dairy Development, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to Livestock Farmers, Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Livestock Mission to boost the dairy industry.

- Despite this, challenges persist, including low milk yield due to inferior quality feed, inadequate veterinary care, obstacles in milk collection and processing, adulteration concerns, disparities in profit distribution and frequent cattle diseases.

 5: The Road Ahead

- Priorities for the future include strengthening veterinary care, enhancing infrastructure, funding research and development in genetics, nutrition, and disease management, and promoting farmer cooperatives.

- The Amul journey provides a powerful model for addressing these challenges, through empowerment, process management, and business innovation.