How is Gujarat Leading with India’s First Camel Milk Processing Plant?
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Gandhinagar, Jan 20 (NationPress) The inaugural camel milk processing facility in India, located in Gujarat and named Sarhad Dairy, has successfully procured nearly 5,000 litres of camel milk over the past year, providing support to more than 350 camel-farming families.
According to a state government representative, daily camel milk procurement reached 4,754 litres in the fiscal year 2024-25, resulting in an annual disbursement of Rs 8,72,83,440 to the farming families involved.
Significantly, the dairy has achieved the primary organic certification for its camel milk products.
Following the Amul cooperative model, the procurement process involves four centers across the Kutch district: Rapar, Nakhatrana, Gadhshisha, and Kotda Athamana.
Revered as the white gold of the Rann of Kutch, camel milk is celebrated for its wealth of essential minerals, promotion of overall health, and enhancement of immunity.
Sarhad Dairy was established in January 2019 and has since emerged as India's sole and foremost camel milk processing plant, equipped with state-of-the-art machinery.
It is also distinguished as the only facility in India producing Rajbhog-flavored camel milk ice cream. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 22, 2024, the ice cream division has already introduced 80 varieties within one year.
For the year 2024-25, the dairy produced a remarkable total of 24.52 lakh litres of ice cream, with a peak dispatch reaching 58,000 litres.
Moreover, Sarhad Dairy gained recognition at the Gulf Food Expo 2025 in Dubai, the largest food exhibition globally, where its camel milk offerings attracted considerable attention at the Amul stall. The dairy has garnered numerous prestigious accolades, including the FOKIA Award 2014 for Social Growth and Infrastructure Development, the Rotary Club Vocational Excellence Award 2017 for advancing the Kutch dairy sector, the FOKIA Award 2024 for Agritech Excellence, and the Green Workplace Award 2025 from VNM TV for outstanding sustainability performance.
The initiative 'Sahkar se Samriddhi', driven and overseen by the Modi government, has empowered Sarhad Dairy to assist 900 milk societies and 31,067 animal husbandry farmers in establishing accounts at the Kutch District Central Cooperative Bank (KDCC Bank).
To enhance banking accessibility, farmers have been provided with RuPay cards, and 438 milk societies have been equipped with Micro ATMs.