Resource Person/ Facilitator: Sarita Shinde
Summary:
Katraj Dairy, a long-established cooperative dairy based in Pune, was founded in 1960 with the aim to provide organized milk collection from village-level farmers in Pune district.
Over the years, its operations expanded significantly — today, it handles approximately 2.00 lakh litres of milk per day.
During the visit, students observed the various stages of dairy processing — from milk collection, pasteurization, product manufacturing (milk, curd, ghee, paneer etc.), to packaging and distribution. The model of a farmer-based cooperative and the facilities for quality control and hygiene were explained by dairy staff.
Objective/Purpose:
- To learn how a cooperative dairy collects raw milk from rural/village-level farmers in an organized manner.
- To understand milk-processing infrastructure and operations (collection, pasteurization, quality control, production of various dairy products).
- To appreciate the role of a cooperative dairy in supporting farmers and the rural economy.
- To study supply-chain and distribution aspects of dairy products in an urban context.
- To observe hygienic standards and certifications maintained by a large-scale dairy industry
