Assam: Dairy and organic farming get boost with strategic partnerships

Two significant memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed at Advantage Assam 2.0 on February 26 are set to transform the state's dairy and organic farming sectors.

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and West Assam Milk Producers' Cooperative Union Limited (WAMUL) have agreed to double the processing capacity at Purabi Dairy's Panjabari plant in Guwahati. The Rs 100 crore expansion project will increase daily milk processing from 1.5 lakh litres to 3 lakh litres.

The upgraded facility will also boost fermented milk product production from 20 to 50 metric tons per day and establish a new ice cream plant with a 20 TLPD capacity.

Present at the signing were Jogen Mohan, Minister of Cooperation, along with Pijush Hazarika, Minister of Water Resources, and Dr B Kalyan Chakravarthy, Additional Chief Secretary.

In a separate development, National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and North East Dairy and Foods Limited (NEDFL) will establish an Organic Demo Farm cum Food Innovation Hub in Assam. The facility will serve as a processing centre for organic raw materials from across the Northeast.

The hub aims to train at least 1,000 farmers in organic farming techniques over the next two years, develop market-ready organic products, and facilitate large-scale commercialisation.

NCOL is backed by the Ministry of Cooperation, with NDDB as the chief promoter along with several national cooperative organizations including NCCF, NAFED, GCMMF, and NCDC.

The projects address key challenges including the lack of organically certified processing centers and limited knowledge dissemination in the region.

Both initiatives are expected to strengthen Assam's rural economy by enhancing productivity, improving market linkages, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for farmers.