Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI), along with NCDFI Managing Director Shri Srinivas Sajja, met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS, to discuss the continued role of dairy cooperatives in supplying quality milk and milk products to defence establishments across the country.
During the meeting, the delegation highlighted NCDFI’s long-standing coordination of dairy supplies to the armed forces through the cooperative network. For the past 41 years, NCDFI has facilitated the procurement and supply of milk and dairy products from dairy cooperatives, ensuring consistent quality and reliable delivery to defence institutions nationwide.
Currently, 117 dairy cooperatives from different parts of the country participate in this initiative. The annual value of supplies exceeds ?1,600 crore, making it one of the largest cooperative-led institutional dairy supply programmes in India. The arrangement not only provides soldiers with nutritious and quality dairy products but also offers dairy farmers an assured and remunerative market for their produce.
The interaction underscored the contribution of dairy cooperatives in building resilient, farmer-centric supply chains that connect rural producers with major institutional consumers. It also highlighted the collaborative efforts of NDDB, NCDFI and member dairy cooperatives in supporting national priorities while strengthening the livelihoods of millions of milk producers.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the cooperative dairy sector to continue serving the nation through quality, reliability and trust, while further expanding opportunities for dairy farmers across India.