Dr. Verghese Kurien, the Father of the White Revolution, passed away in the early hours today, after a brief illness. He was 91.

Dr. Kurien was the architect of India’s White Revolution, which helped India emerge as the largest milk producer in the world.

AIR Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that born on 26th November 1921 at Kozhikode in Kerala, Dr. Kurien was settled in Anand of Gujarat to become the undisputed ‘Milkman’ of the country.

AIR Correspondent reports, founder Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board -NDDB, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation -GCMMF, and the Institute of Rural Management -Anand-IRMA, his professional life has been dedicated to empowering the Indian farmers through co-operatives.

Dr. Kurien has helped to lay the foundation of democratic enterprises at the grass roots. He believed that by placing technology and professional management in the hands of the farmers, the standard of living of millions of our poor people can be improved.

His leadership in cooperative movement has helped to create a model not only for India, but for developing countries throughout the world. The Operation Flood Program, of which Milk Producers’ Cooperatives were the central plank, emerged as India’s largest rural employment program and unleashed the larger dimension of dairy development. The people will never forget Dr. Kurien-along with his brand-Amul and the Taste of India.

AIR Correspondent adds that Dr. Kurien was conferred with many prestigious awards including Padmashri (1965), Padmabhushan (1966), Krishi Ratna (1986), Padma Vibhushan (1999) and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership (1963).

The President, the Vice President and the Prime Minister have condoled the passing Dr. Verghese Kurien.

In his message, the President Pranab Mukherjee hailed Dr Kurien as one who made enormous contributions to the fields of agriculture, rural development and dairying.

The Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari said Kurien is credited with being the architect of the largest dairy development programme in the world and is recognised as the man behind the success of the Amul brand.

The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Dr Kurien as an icon of India's cooperative movement and the dairy industry. He said Dr Kurien's contribution to the welfare of farmers and development of the country is immeasurable. In a rich tribute to Dr. Kurein, Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi termed him the pioneer of white revolution of the country. Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation- GCMMF Chairman Vipul Chaudhary said, the Milk man Dr.Kurien guided the dairy co- operative movement and brought social and economic development in the lives of milk producers of the country.

 The government expects that the demand of milk is likely to be around 150 million tonnes by 2016-17. This information was given in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Dr Charan Das Mahant. He said the government has launched the first Phase of the National Dairy Plan (NDP-1) in March this year with an outlay of 2,242 crore rupees.

The objective of the 5-year-plan is to increase the productivity of milch animals and thereby increase milk production. It is also aimed at providing rural milk producers with greater access to the organized milk-processing sector.

he Government has extended the ban on import of milk and milk
products from China. Giving this information in a written reply in the
Rajya Sabha today, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, MrJyotiraditya Scindia said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended the extension of the ban till June next year or until further orders. The notification for ban was issued last month. The banned milk products include chocolate, chocolate products, candies, confectionery, food preparations with milk or milk solids as ingredient.

The government has lifted ban on export of skimmed milk powder, SMP, to improve finances of dairy firms and help milk producers.

Earlier this month, the government had decided to lift export ban on SMP amid surplus availability of milk.

Directorate General of Foreign Trade, DGFT, said in a notification that the classifications of export and import items has been bifurcated and export of new entry namely skimmed milk powder has been made free.

The notification, however, said, exports of milk and cream, concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, including whole milk powder, dairy whitener and infant milk foods are still prohibited.

AIR correspondent reports, the government had banned SMP exports in February 2011 to contain rise in domestic milk prices.

The dairy industry has been facing liquidity crunch as it could not make profit through sale of skimmed milk powder due to steep fall in domestic prices following surplus supplies.

Domestic prices of SMP have declined to 150 rupees per kg now against 190-200 rupees per kg in the same period last year. Milk production in India, the world's biggest producer, is estimated at over 120 million tonnes in 2011.

The Government today lifted the ban on exports of skimmed milk powder,smp. The decision was taken in the meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan singh in New Delhi. The lifting of ban amid surplus availability, of skimmed milk powder (SMP) will improve the finances of dairy firms and help milk producers. The government had banned SMP exports in February 2011 to contain rise in domestic milk prices.

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said the Commerce Ministry has been asked to consider providing incentives to the exports of SMP in line with other farm produce. He said, the ministry has also been asked to examine the possibility of imposing import duty on SMP.

The dairy industry has been facing liquidity crunch as it could not make profit through sale of skimmed milk powder due to steep fall in domestic prices following surplus supplies.

Domestic prices of SMP have declined to 150 Rupees per kg now as against 190-200 rupees per kg in the same period last year. 

Milk production in India, the world's biggest producer, is estimated at over 120 million tonnes in 2011. Our corresondent reports there is strong demand for milk produced in India in countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and other east asian countries.

Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Minister, Sharad Pawar, on Tuesday expressed hope that the recently launched National Dairy Plan will help meet the growing demand of milk products in the country. Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting of his Ministry in New Delhi, Mr. Pawar said that the demand for milk is projected at 150 million tonnes by the year 2016-17 and the Dairy Plan will help to meet the demand.He said India is world leader in the Milk production with a production of over 121 million tonnes annually. AIR correspondent reports that the National Dairy Plan was launched at Anand in Gujarat with the investment of over 2200 crore rupees. It aims to increase milk production by increasing productivity of milch animals and providing rural milk producers in the country. The scheme is to be implemented in 14 major milk producing states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha and Kerala.

Government has banned the import of Chinese milk products. Ban was imposed because the milk products were found contaminated with a dangerous chemical called melamine.

He said the government prohibited the import of milk and milk products including Chocolate products, candies, confectionery and food preparations with milk or milk solids as ingredient.