A distinguished delegation from Assam, led by Prof. Bechan Lal, OSD to the Hon’ble Governor of Assam, and Shri S. S. Meenakshi Sundaram, Commissioner & Secretary to the Hon’ble Governor, visited Amul Dairy. They were warmly welcomed by Dr Amit Vyas, MD Amul Dairy, & Shri Abhishek Suva, District Registrar, Anand. The team was briefed on Amul’s journey to becoming India’s largest dairy cooperative, built on transparency, farmer empowerment & a strong governance framework. They also reviewed progress of Amul’s dairy development initiatives in Assam. During discussions, Dr Vyas shared that Assam’s dairy development model will follow the successful Amul Gujarat model, where societies receive initial support & later move towards system-driven, self-reliant operations. He highlighted the steady rise in milk procurement in Assam & assured that 100% subsidy payments will continue to be transferred directly to farmers. Emphasising Amul’s culture of trust, he reaffirmed readiness to share all required data with authorities. The delegation was updated on key ongoing initiatives. Dr Vyas stressed the urgent need to strengthen feed and fodder availability & informed them that a suitable site has been identified for a cattle-feed plant to ensure affordable supply. He shared that Amul has already conducted over 650 awareness camps in local languages. He further informed that the layout for a major integrated dairy plant in Assam has been finalized, covering milk, curd, mishti doi, paneer, cheese, sweets, & other value-added products, with provisions for ice cream. Discussions with GCMMF are underway to set up a breeding centre in Upper Assam, supported by Embryo Transfer, a heifer station & an IVF lab under government schemes. Dr Vyas also noted that Wamul & Amul will work together to strengthen cooperatives across Assam. With land allotted, Amul will soon set up its own dairy plant. He also shared that a proposal for digital belts for animal identification has been submitted. The delegation appreciated the digital governance dashboard for its contribution to transparency & efficient decision-making. The team then visited BBC Mogar, observing Amul’s advanced breeding practices & showing interest in collaborating for semen supply & establishing similar farms in Assam. They also visited the Chocolate Plant at Mogar & admired the technology & quality of delectable Amul chocolates. Later, at the administrative building, Dr Vyas & Shri Abhishek Suva explained the three-tier cooperative governance model. The delegation also met Shri Vipul Patel, Chairman Amul Dairy, who assured full support for establishing a state-of-the-art dairy plant in Assam.

Impressions:

In conclusion, Dr Vyas emphasized that farmers’ involvement is vital for ownership & accountability. The delegation expressed deep satisfaction with their visit, ensured full support from their end, & conveyed their keen interest in future collaborations with Amul for the betterment of dairy farmers in Assam.