Bengaluru: In a significant boost to the dairy sector, the Karnataka Co-operative Milk Producers' Federation (KMF) has defied the traditional summer slump and recorded a daily milk collection of over 1 crore litres since April 2026. This achievement comes despite the state experiencing one of the harshest summers in recent years, with soaring temperatures and prolonged dry conditions gripping several districts over the past three months.
Strategic Measures Drive Production
KMF Managing Director Shivaswamy B attributed the success to a strategic mix of lucrative pricing, timely government incentives, and early monsoon showers. He stated, "We've maintained an increased price rate for our farmers. The average procurement price stands at Rs 34.5 per litre. Along with the state government's Ksheera Dhaare incentive of Rs 5 per litre, farmers are receiving around Rs 40 per litre."
Typically, milk procurement in Karnataka drops to 85-90 lakh litres per day during summer. Until January-February 2026, daily input was between 1.05 crore and 1.1 crore litres. In the summer of 2025, KMF received an average of 80-85 lakh litres of milk daily. However, this year, production has surged, with KMF crossing the 1.06-crore-litre milestone on May 25, 2026 — a month earlier than June 21 in 2025.
April 2026 saw daily milk procurement averaging 1.02–1.03 crore litres, rising to 1.04 crore litres in May. The federation set new seasonal records twice this year: touching 1.06 crore litres on April 21 and 1.08 crore on May 20 — an all-time summer high for KMF.
Key Contributors and Future Projections
Officials identified key contributors to this surge, including Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru South (Ramanagara), and Hassan unions. Peak daily collection is now projected to reach 1.2 crore litres later in 2026. KMF's 10-day payment cycle, followed by most of its 15-16 milk unions, has further strengthened rural confidence and ensured a steady supply.
Rising Demand for Nandini Products
The production surge has been matched by rising demand for KMF's flagship Nandini products across Karnataka and other states. In Delhi, daily Nandini milk sales have climbed to 30,000-40,000 litres, surpassing 2025 figures. Curd sales have risen by 30%, while curd and buttermilk together registered a 14% growth over last year.
Heatwave conditions — with Delhi reaching a high of 44°C — have driven strong consumption of dairy-based refreshments. Ice cream sales have surged 30%, particularly in Mumbai, Kerala, Delhi, and other major markets. KMF's ghee, paneer, and butter have also recorded a 5% growth, while its out-of-state operations have expanded by 10%, covering Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Vidarbha, and Chennai.
With regular milk sales rising steadily by 3% overall, KMF's dual strategy of farmer support and aggressive market expansion is reinforcing Nandini's position as one of India's leading dairy brands.
