Assam Launches 500-Crore Dairy Push to Cut Import Reliance

Guwahati: Assam wants to stop buying food from elsewhere. Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah presented a new budget on July 10, outlining a plan to make the state self-sufficient in fish, eggs, milk, and meat. The state will dump 500 crore into a new Dairy Expansion Mission to push daily milk output to 57 lakh litres.

The plan is aggressive. Officials aim to produce 10 lakh metric tonnes of fish annually by 2031, cementing the state as the fisheries hub of Northeast India. Egg output already jumped 51 percent, and the government now wants to hit 60 lakh eggs every single day.

Better breeding and vet services will support poultry and piggery. Meat production already climbed 28 percent over five years. Baruah noted the goals during the assembly session, stating, "The government would significantly expand investments in the fisheries, dairy and livestock sectors to boost rural incomes and reduce dependence on imports."

Export strategy is the next step. Assam holds 45 Geographical Indication tags and wants more to lock in global markets. The state will add 12,000 hectares for organic farming. Processing centers, dehydrators, and pack houses will help farmers move Tezpur litchi, Joha rice, and other premium goods abroad.