India Stands Firm on Dairy in EU FTA Talks

India and the European Union are holding their 13th round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in New Delhi, with discussions expected to run through mid-September. The government has made it clear that while it is committed to concluding the deal, it will not compromise on sensitive sectors like dairy and agriculture. Commerce Minister Piyush…
UK Dairy Power Shift: Farmers Gain Leverage

A new Kite Consulting report, Decoding Dairy Disruption, reveals a profound shift reshaping the UK milk value chain. With record spring 2025 milk production coinciding with global supply constraints, farmers are finding themselves in a more advantageous position—but only temporarily. Notably, UK farmgate prices remain, on average, 2.3p per litre below European standards. Meanwhile, major…
Dairy GST Cuts Bring Consumer Savings, Farmer Prosperity

India’s recent GST changes for dairy—cutting rates from 12% to 5% on ghee, cheese, and ice-cream (without chocolate), and zeroing GST on UHT milk, paneer, and chhanna—deliver significant cost relief across value-added segments. Ghee-bearing households may pocket savings of around ₹42 per kilogram, assuming full pass-through. Packaged paneer and UHT milk, now exempt, could become…
India offers cars, dairy exports to Africa in barter push

At the CII India–Africa Business Conclave, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal proposed a strategic trade exchange: India could supply motor vehicles and high-quality milk products to African nations, in return importing diamonds, gold, petroleum, agricultural produce, pulses, and lentils. He highlighted this as a means to bolster India–Africa trade—currently at $82 billion—with ambitions to double it…
FSSAI and its new nutrition ratings

by R N Bhaskar FSSAI (the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India — https://fssai.gov.in/ — is also known as the Food Authority. It comes under the ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers (https://fssai.gov.in/flipbook.php?bookid=460&doc2=0#book2/). It was established in September 2008 for “laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their…
GST Cut Could Make India a Dairy Export Powerhouse

R.G. Chandramogan, Chairman of Hatsun Agro Product Ltd., has called for a uniform reduction of GST on all dairy products—from the existing 12% to 5%, including ghee and ice cream. He argues this could dramatically boost India’s dairy industry, empowering farmers, increasing domestic demand, and transforming India into a global exporter. India’s annual milk production…
Dairy Contributes 25% of India’s F&B Sector: ED NDDB

India’s food processing sector projected to be among the fastest-growing industries in the coming years and the government is permitting 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the F&B segment. India’s food processing and ingredients sector is growing at 8.8 percent CAGR, projected to double by 2030, while food-tech outpaces global benchmarks at 14 percent CAGR….
India’s Dairy Exports Surge 80% to $493M in FY 2024-25

India’s dairy exports soared by 80% in FY 2024-25, reaching $492.9 million, with volumes climbing to 113,350.4 metric tonnes—a 77.9% year-on-year increase. Key export destinations included the UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. This growth is propelled by India’s standing as the world’s largest milk producer and a decade of consistent volume gains. Industry…
GST Overhaul May Slash Prices on Dairy & Consumer Goods

India is set to roll out a significant Goods and Services Tax (GST) overhaul, likely unveiled during the 56th GST Council meeting in September or October 2025, pending approval from the Group of Ministers (GoM) . Under the current draft, the multi-slab GST system will be simplified into two main rates: 5% and 18%, effectively…
Productivity Gains Mean Little Without Fair Pay to Farmers

As India commemorates its 79th Independence Day, a moment of profound gratitude and collective reflection on the nation’s remarkable journey, few narratives resonate as powerfully as the transformation of its dairy sector. We went from a country with very little milk to becoming the world leader in dairy. This wasn’t just about making more milk;…