Organic Dairy Farming in India

1. Organic Dairy Farming in India Organic Dairy farming means raising animals on organic feed (pastures) cultivated without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. The dairy animals have access to pasture or outside and they are raised along with restricted usage of antibiotics and hormones. As such, the products that are obtained from organic dairy farms are called organic dairy products. Organic Dairy Farming is a system of dairy production which is based on a set of regulations that allows farmers to manage their situations individually while maintaining organic integrity. There are various aspects that are crucial in running an organic dairy farm. They are - 1. Cows and calves must be fed organic feed. 2. Pastures, hay, and organic crops fed to the cows must be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. 3. Cows must be fed on organic milk and synthetic milk replacers are prohibited. 4. Land used to grow organic crops must be free of any prohibited materials for at least three years prior to the first organic harvest 5. Genetically modified organisms are strictly prohibited. 6. Animals must have access to the outdoors based on weather conditions.

2. 7. Antibiotics must be used in a restricted manner. 8. The farmer must keep all the sufficient records to verify his/her compliance with the standards. Benefits of Organic Milk- 1. Organic milk has more Omega-3 which is an essential fatty acid for healthy growth. 2. Organic milk has less damaging Omega-6 as compared to regular milk. 3. Organic milk also contains larger amounts of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) 4. Organic milk doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals such as the residue of pesticides, fertilizers, and hormones. Prospects of Organic Dairy Farming in India- Organic Dairy Farming could be a blessing for farmers in India as some of the agro-climatic regions of the country are best suited for organic milk production. Some of the areas include the rain-fed areas of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Jammu, and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, and the whole of the North-Eastern region. Moreover, with the predominance of integrated farming systems in rural India and the rising consumer demand for healthy organic food products, India has a huge potential for organic milk production.