The Tripura Government has set its sights on a major expansion of the dairy sector, with Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Sudhangshu Das announcing coordinated efforts to boost milk production and strengthen farmer support. 

The announcement came during the 13th Board Meeting of the Gomati Cooperative Milk Union, held against the backdrop of a landmark tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ARD Department, the Gomati Cooperative Milk Union, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Minister Das emphasised that Tripura’s current milk production is insufficient to meet consumer demand, underscoring the need for institutional cooperation and technical expertise. “Milk is a balanced and essential food, but our local production falls short. With NDDB’s support, we can expand production, processing, and distribution to ensure affordable access for consumers,” he said.

He added that discussions would focus on leveraging NDDB’s experience to improve milk production and processing, strengthen marketing and distribution networks, and ensure that dairy products reach households at reasonable prices.

Chairman Ratan Ghosh highlighted that this was the first joint board meeting with NDDB since the MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Manik Saha. He outlined ambitious expansion plans: Increasing the number of associated dairy farmers from 6,642 to 10,000; Establishing 52 new milk‑producing cooperative societies; Integrating the recently acquired Tridha Dairy in Kamalpur into the Union’s operations and Operationalising a new 40,000‑litre capacity dairy plant at Bamutia (Unit 2), complementing Gomati Dairy’s growth from its original 5,000‑litre capacity in 1982 to 40,000 litres today.

Ghosh also noted that Gomati Cooperative currently produces four varieties of milk, two types of paneer, ghee, ice cream, packaged drinking water, and nearly 75 varieties of sweets, with marketing strategies under review to improve profitability for farmers.

The board meeting also discussed measures to implement Central and State government schemes more effectively, ensuring greater support for cattle rearers and dairy farmers. The Union aims to provide both financial and technical assistance to strengthen grassroots dairy production.

Apart from ARDD Minister Sudhangshu Das, Gomati Cooperative Milk Union Chairman Ratan Ghosh, NDDB North‑East Coordinator Sabyasachi Roy, the ARD Department Secretary, the Union’s Managing Director and Secretary, along with other board members and officials remained present at the day's meeting.