India’s dairy sector, the world’s largest, is facing a silent crisis—an acute shortage of green fodder that threatens the productivity and profitability of millions of livestock farmers. As the country contributes nearly a quarter of global milk output, the gap between feed availability and demand could soon undercut its growth story.
According to estimates, India faces a deficit of 11–32% in green fodder, around 23% in dry fodder, and over 40% in concentrate feed. The situation is more critical in high-milk producing states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, where grazing lands are rapidly disappearing due to urbanization, infrastructure expansion, and conversion of agricultural land. Climate change has further compounded the problem, with erratic rainfall and rising temperatures reducing the yield and availability of traditional fodder crops like berseem and maize.
The implications are serious. Poor-quality or insufficient feed leads to lower milk yields, delayed calving, increased disease vulnerability, and higher veterinary costs. For smallholders who depend on one or two milch animals, even a one-litre drop in milk yield per day can significantly erode household income. Rising costs of commercial feed and fodder seeds have also squeezed farmer margins, pushing some into distress sale of cattle — weakening the entire dairy supply chain.
The livestock sector contributes more than 5% to India’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and nearly one-third of the agriculture and allied sector GVA, supporting over 80 million rural households. Yet, fodder security remains one of its most neglected aspects. Without reliable and affordable feed resources, the country’s ambitious targets for milk production and rural prosperity could face a major setback.
Industry Insight
A Green Fodder Revolution is now essential to sustain the White Revolution. India needs a coordinated national mission focusing on high-yielding fodder varieties, improved agronomic practices, fodder banks, and digitized feed forecasting. Policy interventions should encourage dual-purpose crop cultivation, community silage units, and integration of fodder planning within dairy development programs. Private sector participation and cooperative-level fodder innovation can also play a catalytic role in ensuring that India’s dairy growth remains both sustainable and inclusive.
Source : Dairynews7x7 Oct 22nd 2025 Read full story here