Set to process 10,000 liters of milk per day, this facility will support the Army’s daily requirement of 20,000 liters and involve around 1,500 local farmers.
1. Purpose & Significance
- NDDB is setting up a fully solar-powered milk processing plant in Kargil.
- Aim: supply fresh milk to Indian Army jawans posted in Siachen, Nubra Valley, Leh, Nimmoo, Karu, and other high-altitude bases.
- This will ensure uninterrupted fresh milk supply instead of tetra-pack milk.
2. Capacity & Army Demand
- New plant capacity: 10,000 liters/day.
- Army’s total requirement in the region: 20,000 liters/day.
- Around 1,500 local farmers will be directly involved.
3. Funding & Partnerships
- Total project cost: ₹25 crore.
- Central Government grant: ₹12.6 crore.
- Project executed with Ladakh UT Dairy Cooperative Federation.
- This is NDDB’s second solar-powered dairy plant (first was in Kochi with a 2 MW solar setup).
Read More: Shri Amit Shah inaugurates the newly constructed Bio-CNG and Fertilizer Plant by Banas Dairy
4. Why Solar?
- Kargil has strong year-round sunshine and extreme terrain.
- Solar makes the plant self-sustaining and reliable in remote border areas.
5. Geography Advantage
- Despite high altitude (8,000–23,000 feet), Suru and Zanskar valleys support vegetation for cattle feed.
6. Existing NDDB Plant in Leh
- NDDB earlier took over and upgraded a 5,000 LPD plant in Leh (MoU signed in 2022).
- Now supplying 9,000 liters/day to the Army from Leh unit.
- Working with 1,200 farmers across 27 villages.
7. Innovation: Milk Collection Van
- NDDB, with support from Suzuki Motors (Japan), designed a special milk collection van with:
- On-board testing
- On-board chilling
- This allows milk pickup directly from distant villages instead of farmers traveling long distances.
8. Economic Impact
- Earlier, Ladakh had very few suppliers, and milk sold at ₹60/L.
- NDDB’s intervention gives farmers a stable buyer and improved income.
- New plant will further expand livelihood opportunities to 1,500+ farmers.
9. Expansion Beyond Ladakh
- NDDB-managed cooperatives have begun supplying fresh milk to:
- Assam Rifles (Manipur, from Oct 2025)
- Indian Army (Assam cooperatives)
10. Big Picture
- This plant will become one of India’s highest-altitude renewable-energy dairy units.
- It strengthens food security for the Army and ensures economic development in remote border villages.
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I do my best to share reliable and well-researched market insights but occasional errors or omissions may slip through. Please view all content as informational.
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