New Delhi, Nov 27 : India's milk production increased by 4 per cent to 239.3 million tonnes in 2023-24, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh said.

Union Minister Singh said the per capita availability of milk has also risen to 471 gm per day in 2023-24 from 459 gm per day in 2022-23. The minister noted that the average growth in India's milk production has been 6 per cent as against 2 per cent of the world's average.

The government released Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2024 on the occasion of National Milk Day 2024, which is celebrated every year on November 26 to honour the Father of the white revolution, Verghese Kurien, who was born on this day.

Addressing an event to celebrate National Milk Day, the minister said the milk production has increased to around 239 million tonnes in 2023-24 on the back of improvement in productivity.

According to the report, "Milk production from exotic/ crossbred cattle has increased by 8 per cent and indigenous cattle has increased by 44.76 per cent in 2023-24 as compared to the previous year."

The total egg production increased by 3.17 per cent to 142.77 billion in 2023-24, according to the report. "The per-capita availability of eggs is 103 eggs per annum," it added. India is the world's 2nd largest in egg production.

Meat production, the report said, grew 4.95 per cent, and was estimated to reach 10.25 mt in 2023-24. The total wool production in the country was pegged at 33.69 million kg.

The minister emphasised the need to bring dairy farmers into the organised sector as this will boost milk production and their income and eliminate middlemen.

He also spoke on the need to boost exports of dairy products.

The Minister asked dairy farmers to vaccinate their livestock as the government is providing free vaccinations to help them protect their cattle from disease.

He said the foot and mouth disease and brucellosis will be eradicated from the country by 2030 and this would help enhance exports.

The minister also asked dairy farmers to adopt sex-sorted semen and artificial insemination in a big way.

The government was also focusing on breed improvement of livestock, the Union Minister said.

/IANS