CRI, IIL joint venture aims to improve Indian milk supply

"CRI will jointly work with IndiaGen to set in place world class breeding services for Indian farmers," said David Hileman, President of the CRI Board of Directors. "CRI will bring to the joint venture its experience in providing high quality genetics, technical assistance and exemplary training."

The partnership is a natural fit for CRI and Indian dairy producers. CRI has the largest employed livestock marketing network in the U.S., providing on-farm consultations, sales and service for cattle reproduction, genetics and herd management information.

India, home to about 60 million dairy cows and 40 million dairy buffalo, is the world's leader in milk production, but the U.S.'s 9 million dairy cows far exceed Indian cows in productivity. According to USDA, the average U.S. cow produces about 19,000 pounds of milk per year, an average of 52 pounds per day. The average Indian cow produces less than 2,800 pounds per year, an average of less than 8 pounds per day.

According to the Dairy India Yearbook, milk availability is a mere 7.5 ounces per capita, or about one half-pint carton per day. Increasing milk production and availability to the Indian population is an objective of IndiaGen.

"India is the largest milk producer in the world and the credit for this must go to our farmers," said Dr. Amrita Patel, Chairman of IndiaGen, explaining the need to form the company. "However, it is important to increase the productivity per animal. So far the benefits of the breeding programs put in place by the states have only marginally reached the farmers and the quality of service is, very often, questionable."

IndiaGen is the first joint venture company in India dedicated to service of milk producers. The company aims to emerge as the first efficient breeding and advisory organization in the country providing service to the farmer at his doorstep. IndiaGen's goal is to provide dairy producers with high quality genetics and advisory services to optimize the productivity and reduce the cost of milk production.

"CRI is exceedingly pleased to be a partner in IndiaGen," said Doug Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of CRI. "It is a perfect fit with our Mission Statement. IndiaGen will help improve the genetics and reproductive performance for Indian producers, allowing increased profitability. This venture is a perfect example of members/owners across the globe working together to strengthen their cooperative structure and increase their member productivity."

An event marking the IndiaGen launch was held Jan. 27 in Hyderabad, India. In attendance were the Union Minister for Agriculture Mr. Sharad Pawar, provincial Agriculture Minister Mr. Raghuveera Reddy and provincial Animal Husbandry Minister Mr. Surya Rao.

CRI will provide technical assistance in developing and enhancing semen production capacity and semen processing capabilities, in improving efficiency of progeny testing programs and in standardizing and enhancing data management systems and genetic evaluation procedures. IndiaGen will also train its senior staff at CRI's U.S. locations to provide professional services to farmers in the country.

IndiaGen will work with local Indian cooperatives to provide direct breeding and advisory services to their farmer members.