Industrial Visit at Katraj Dairy, Pune

Date
September 30, 2025 Posted By
ZealPoly
Categories

Industry Profile:
Katraj Dairy was incorporated in 1960 with the goal of organizing milk collection from village-level farmers in Pune district. Katraj Dairy, Pune also known as Pune Zilla Sahakari Dudh Utpadak Sangh Ltd or Pune District Cooperative Milk Producers Union. In its first year, it collected about 0.30 lakh litres (i.e. 30,000 litres) of milk per day. Over the decades its collection, handling, and processing capacity have increased substantially. The Current collection: over 2.00 lakh litres/day & Financial turnover: ₹250+ crores.

  1. Size, Capacities & Infrastructure
  • It has nine chilling plants (used to cool milk quickly to avoid spoilage) and about 72 Bulk Milk Coolers (BMCs) spread over the district.
  • The installed milk handling capacity is over 5 lakhs (500,000) litres per day.
  • The processing (i.e. plant) capacity is about 2 lakh litres per day.
  1. Quality & Certifications
  • Katraj Dairy has obtained ISO 22000:2005 certification from DNV (Det Norske Veritas) for its quality systems.
  • It has well-equipped labs, modern processing equipment (pasteurizer, homogenizer, cream separator, milk clarifier, etc.)
  1. Infrastructure & Capacity
  • 9 chilling plants.
  • 131 Bulk Milk Coolers (BMCs) across Pune district.
  • Installed milk handling capacity: 5 lakh litres/day.
  • Installed processing capacity: 2 lakh litres/day.
  • Equipped with:
  • Modern Pasteurizer & Homogenizer
  • Cream Separator
  • Ghee Processing Unit
  • Milk Clarifier
  • Condensed Milk Plant
  • Automatic Packing systems
  • Quality Testing Labs
  1. Katraj Dairy Plant Layout (Process Flow)

a. Milk Collection & Reception Area

  • Milk arrives from farmers via tankers, cans, and village-level Bulk Milk Coolers (BMCs).
  • Equipment: Weighing machines, unloading docks, reception tanks.

b. Chilling & Storage Section

  • Milk is quickly chilled to ~4°C to prevent spoilage.
  • Equipment: Chilling plants, bulk milk coolers, plate heat exchangers.

c. Processing Section

  • Pasteurization Unit: Heats milk to ~72°C and cools it rapidly to destroy harmful microbes.
  • Homogenization Unit: Breaks fat globules for uniform texture.
  • Cream Separator & Clarifier: Separates cream and removes impurities.
  • Standardization: Adjusting fat/SNF (solid-not-fat) levels for toned, double-toned, and full-cream milk.

d. Product Manufacturing Section

  • Ghee Processing Unit
  • Paneer/Curd/Shirkhand/Amrakhand Section
  • Milk Powder Plant
  • Ice-Cream & Flavoured Milk Section

e. Quality Control Laboratory

  • Continuous testing of milk for purity, fat content, SNF %, microbial load, and contamination.

f. Packaging Section

  • Fully automated pouch-filling machines for liquid milk.
  • Bottling machines for flavored/sterilized milk.
  • Box/Carton packaging for sweets, paneer, butter, and ghee.

g. Cold Storage & Dispatch Section

  • Refrigerated storage for milk, paneer, shrikhand, and ice cream.
  • Dispatch through insulated vans and distribution network.

h. Utilities & Support Systems

  • Boiler House: Steam generation for pasteurization and cleaning.
  • Refrigeration Plant: Ammonia or Freon-based system for chilling and cold storage.
  • Water Treatment Plant: Provides clean water for processing and CIP (Clean-in-Place).
  • Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP): Wastewater treatment before disposal.

Products:
Katraj Dairy manufactures/distributes a wide range of milk and milk products:

  • Milk Varieties: Pasteurized / Homogenized cow milk, toned milk, double toned milk, standardized milk, full cream milk.
  • By-products: Cow & buffalo cream, ghee, table butter, milk powder.
  • Traditional Dairy Foods: Shrikhand, Amrakhand, Malai Paneer, Dahi.
  • Flavored Products: Flavoured milk, lassi, Jeera-Tak (buttermilk with cumin).
  • Sweets: Pedha, Khoa, Mango/Anjeer/Malai Burfi, Kalakand, Kaju Katli.
  • Ice Creams: Softy ice cream, hard ice creams (various flavours).
  • Others: Sterilized milk in 200 ml bottles.

Distribution:

  • Sold via Katraj-owned parlors in Pune city, authorized distributors, and retail circuits.
  • Upcoming: online ordering system for distributors, retailers, and consumers.

Brand Value:

  • Products in Pune homes since 1961.
  • Popular products: Katraj Milk, Ghee, Shrikhand, Amrakhand, Lassi, Jeeratak, Cream.
  • Recognized as a leading food brand in Western Maharashtra.

Represents: high-quality at reasonable price, co-operative network success, indigenous technology, and farmer empowerment.

Objective / Purpose:

  1. To understand the layout and workflow of dairy plant operations, from milk collection to processing and packaging.
  2. To study the working principles and applications of mechanical equipment such as pasteurizers, homogenizers, cream separators, boilers, chillers, and refrigeration systems.
  3. To observe the use of automation and material handling systems in large-scale dairy production.
  4. To gain knowledge about maintenance practices and troubleshooting methods used for dairy machinery.
  5. To learn about the integration of mechanical, thermal, and refrigeration systems in food processing industries.
  6. To understand the role of quality control labs and how mechanical processes affect hygiene and product safety.
  7. To explore the energy management systems (steam generation, heat exchangers, cooling towers, etc.) used in dairy operations.
  8. To connect theoretical knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and manufacturing processes with real-life applications in a dairy plant.

To develop awareness about career opportunities, industry expectations, and practical applications of mechanical engineering in the food and dairy sector.