India is major producer of milk, spices, fruits, vegetables, fish

India is now the world’s biggest milk producer, having overtaken the European Union over the past 12 months, according to the latest edition of the government’s annual economic survey.

The survey, compiled annually by the Ministry of Finance, said the average year-on-year growth rate of milk production at 4.04% compared with the world average of 2.2% shows sustained growth in availability of milk and milk products. It added that milk has become an important secondary source of income for 70 million rural households.

According to the survey report, India is the largest producer and exporter of spices. The country is also the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, the largest producer of mangos, bananas, coconuts, cashews, papayas and pomegranates.

India ranks second in terms of world fish production, contributing 5.4% to global production.

But the biggest change is in milk. The report attributes the change to a successful government policy launched in 2012 to improve productivity, expand infrastructure and provide milk producers with closer access to market.