The revenue growth of the Experimental Dairy Plant (EDP), College of Dairy and Food Science Technology at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, within a short span of three years from 19.6 lakhs in 2020-2021 to 2.02 crores in 2023-2024 exemplifies the transformative impact of value addition, innovative practices, market strategies and relentless effort of
dedicated staff.
Dr Inderjeet Singh, Vice Chancellor informed that one of the critical factors contributing to this success was the emphasis on value addition of milk into high value milk products. The milk used for value-added products increased from 8% to 28% during this period and resultantly the EDP significantly boosted its revenue from 19.6 lakhs to over 2 crores. Value added diversified product range played a crucial role in driving the revenue growth of the EDP. The introduction of products such as Kulfi, Pinny, Dahi, Mozzarella cheese, Flavoured milk, Burfi, Milk cake, Ghee, Whey drinks and recently launched desi ghee biscuits expanded the product portfolio, attracting a wider customer base and meeting diverse consumer preferences. These products are well-received in the market, boosting the revenue and establishing the EDP as a versatile player in the dairy industry. Dr Singh said that the introduction of premium Sahiwal Ghee, prepared from cream separated at the university’s Sahiwal farm at Kaljharani and processed at Vet Varsity, Ludhiana, exemplifies value addition strategy. While Sahiwal milk was being sold to cooperatives at Rs 30-35 per Kg, sale of its ghee has hiked price realization more than Rs 100 per kg of milk. This premium product, marketed for its superior quality, quickly gained popularity, contributing to substantial revenue growth and high demand. Similarly preparation of double toned milk also pushed up revenue receipts through sale of ghee prepared with extra fat.
Dr Singh informed that to ensure the highest quality and compliance with regulatory standards, the EDP has attempted adopting new environment 
friendly packaging initiatives. Packaging was upgraded to meet standards, and innovative solutions like vacuum packaging for paneer, tin packing, and glass bottle packaging for Sahiwal Ghee were introduced in place of plastic polyfilm. These packaging improvements not only enhanced product shelf life but also appealed to health-conscious and quality-seeking consumers. Moreover, the EDP invested in Research & Development to increase the yield of various products specially paneer, ensuring efficient use of resources and higher profitability. These efforts in R&D led to improved processes and higher quality products, further strengthening the market revenue of the EDP.
Dr R S Sethi, Dean, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology, enumerated various management changes that were implemented to streamline operations, improved efficiency, and fostered a culture of innovation. The EDP diversified its operations by introducing different sections dedicated to specific dairy products, enabling specialized focus and better product quality. Significant investments were made to enhance the infrastructure, that not only increased production capacity but also ensured consistency in product quality through thorough quality testing.
Dr Sethi opined that a large spectrum of value added milk products adds practical skills to our graduates in dairy technology to go for entrepreneurship in this sector. EDP has also extended collaboration with Verka, Milkfed, Punjab by providing R&D facilities to develop new products at Verka milk plants. This partnership will leverage the EDP's expertise in research and product development, enabling Verka to innovate and expand its product range. The joint efforts in R&D will drive the creation of high-quality, market-ready dairy products, further solidifying both entities' positions in the dairy industry. EDP is also imparting training in value addition of milk to entrepreneurs and farmers who intend to expand their margins of profit from dairy farming.
Value addition and processing can enhance revenue and bring about significant socioeconomic changes especially for small holding dairy farmers. By transforming raw milk into a variety of value-added products, the dairy farmers can not only increase profitability but can also create new opportunities to meet market demand for high-quality products
