Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized milk and dairy products worth ₹5.4 crore during a three-month statewide enforcement drive, with the broader crackdown resulting in 404 licence suspensions, 4,321 improvement notices and action against thousands of food establishments.
The enforcement campaign, conducted between June and August, covered milk and dairy businesses as well as a wide range of other food operators across the state.
According to the Maharashtra FDA, officials inspected 9,485 establishments during the period and took action against violations involving unsafe, prohibited and non-compliant food products.
Dairy Products Worth ₹5.4 Crore Seized
Milk and dairy products accounted for ₹5.4 crore of the total food stock seized during the three-month campaign.
The FDA’s action covered products and businesses associated with several dairy and food categories, including milk, dairy products, khoya, sweets, ghee, ice cream and kulfi and frozen desserts.
The department, however, did not provide a separate division-wise breakdown for dairy operators or the number of arrests specifically linked to milk and dairy violations.
₹67.20 Crore Worth of Food Stock Seized
The ₹5.4-crore dairy seizure formed part of a much larger statewide food-safety enforcement operation.
The FDA said the total value of food stock seized reached ₹67.20 crore, comprising:
- Milk and dairy products: ₹5.4 crore
- Other food products: ₹42.17 crore
- Prohibited products: ₹19.62 crore
The figures underline the scale of enforcement across Maharashtra’s food supply chain.
404 Licences Suspended, 4,321 Improvement Notices Issued
The enforcement drive resulted in 404 licence suspensions, while food businesses were issued 4,321 improvement notices for deficiencies requiring corrective action.
The FDA also sealed 483 establishments and seized 110 vehicles as part of the broader enforcement operation.
The action demonstrates the regulator’s focus not only on identifying unsafe products but also on addressing compliance failures at the establishment level.
Pune Records Highest Number of Inspections
Among the state’s administrative divisions, Pune recorded the highest number of inspections at 4,261, followed by:
| Division | Inspections |
|---|---|
| Pune | 4,261 |
| Konkan | 3,142 |
| Greater Mumbai | 1,451 |
| Nashik | 1,356 |
| Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | 1,173 |
| Amravati | 989 |
| Nagpur | 711 |
The inspection figures reflect the breadth of the statewide enforcement exercise, although they cover food establishments more broadly and are not limited exclusively to dairy businesses.
Crackdown Also Targets Prohibited Products
The campaign also included enforcement against prohibited products, particularly pan masala, gutkha, scented tobacco and similar products, whose manufacture, sale, distribution and transportation have been banned across Maharashtra since July 13.
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The FDA confiscated prohibited products worth ₹19.62 crore from 795 establishments, filed 644 FIRs and arrested 867 people during the drive.
These figures are part of the overall enforcement action and should not be interpreted as dairy-specific arrests or violations.
Wider Food-Safety Net
Beyond milk and dairy products, the FDA’s inspections covered a broad range of food categories, including edible oils, mangoes, sweets, khoya, bakery products, candy, jaggery, ghee, dates, ice cream and kulfi, frozen desserts, spices, betel nut and toddy.
For the dairy sector, the inclusion of products such as milk, khoya, ghee, sweets and frozen dairy products highlights the need for stronger controls across the entire value chain—from raw materials and processing to storage, transportation and retail.
What It Means for Maharashtra’s Dairy Sector
The seizure of ₹5.4 crore worth of milk and dairy products sends a significant compliance signal to dairy processors, traders, retailers and food-service operators across Maharashtra.
For organised dairy businesses, the crackdown reinforces the importance of FSSAI licensing, hygienic processing, proper storage, traceability, ingredient compliance and accurate product labelling.
At the same time, stronger enforcement can help create a more level playing field for compliant dairy businesses by reducing the circulation of unsafe or non-compliant products.
The Bigger Picture
Maharashtra’s three-month enforcement campaign illustrates how food safety is increasingly becoming a value-chain issue rather than simply a product-testing issue.
With ₹67.20 crore worth of food stock seized, 9,485 establishments inspected and hundreds of licences suspended, the scale of the action highlights the regulator’s growing emphasis on compliance.
For the dairy industry, the ₹5.4-crore seizure is particularly significant. Sustained enforcement, combined with better testing, traceability and awareness among consumers and small operators, will be critical to ensuring that milk and dairy products reaching the market meet required safety and quality standards.
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