Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh (UP) recorded a 40% increase in milk production between 2016-17 and 2024-25. From producing 277 lakh tonnes in 2016-17, the state’s milk production capacity increased to 388 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, making it the leading milk-producing state in the country.Additional chief secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department, Mukesh Meshram, said that this 40% increase in milk production is the result of planned development and the concrete grassroots efforts undertaken by chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He added that five states are responsible for 54% of the country’s total milk production, of which UP alone accounts for 16%.He also said that the dairy revolution in UP has been led by rural women. “Through the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission, lakhs of women have become associated with dairy activities,” he said, adding that in 31 districts, women self-help groups are collectively procuring nearly 10 lakh litres of milk daily and have generated business worth around Rs 5,000 crore.“Around 4 lakh women farmers have been connected through five major dairy companies in the state, giving a new boost to the rural economy. By Feb 2026, the total turnover of these companies reached approximately Rs 5,000 crore,” the official said.The companies active in UP include Balinee Milk Producer Company in Bundelkhand, Kashi MPCL in Purvanchal, Samarthya MPCL in the Awadh region, Shri Baba Gorakhnath Kripa MPCL in Gorakhpur division and Srijani MPCL in the Terai region.Meshram added that since 2017, women have been integrated into the economic mainstream on such a large scale for the first time, leading to their significant empowerment. “This record growth in milk production is not only a sign of economic strength but has also become a symbol of the changing image of UP,” he said.
