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CPF flags milk adulteration driven by profiteering, supply gaps and lack of cold storage
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Saturday, 11 April, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
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Centre for Processed Foods (CPF) highlights profiteering, supply shortages, and weak cold storage as key causes of milk adulteration.
Chetan L. Hanchate, director and CEO, Centre for Processed Foods, which is an end-to-end consulting organisation in agro food business, pointed out, “Milk adulteration in India has reached critical levels in early 2026 and of late there is more lethal adulteration."
It is disturbing to note the prevalence of adulteration in milk is fuelled by greed, supply constraints, and storage gaps. This comes even as India remains the world’s largest milk producer, generating over 247 million tonnes in 2024–25, while its supply chain, particularly in the unorganised sector faces severe structural challenges, Hanchate told FnB News.
Milk-related activities sustain the livelihoods of many people. This is because it is an everyday essential commodity. It plays a vital role in daily life, which means it needs to be consistently collected and delivered. "Production occurs every day, and because milk is highly perishable, it must be either consumed quickly or processed into more stable, value-added products to prevent wastage," he noted.
Though highly perishable, milk is a nutrient-rich commodity with significant business potential. To manage risk, producers often aim to stabilise it at the liquid stage and sell to assured daily buyers, or convert it into value-added products with a longer shelf life.
However, the need for consistency in supply creates pressure. Even if production falls short on any given day, suppliers are expected to meet their commitments in both quantity and quality. "In such situations, some may resort to adulteration, often influenced by practices learned from other operators or so-called experts in the trade," Hanchate said.
Recent trends show that such adulteration practices are increasing despite continued growth in overall milk production.
Given the frequency of these violations, there is a strong need for closer and stricter monitoring of milk production areas, supply chains, and trading entities by the regulatory authorities. A well-defined protocol implemented through regular, periodic, and surprise inspections by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) would help bring all producers and traders under formal oversight by ensuring their registration and compliance, according to him.
In addition, even small-scale milk producers such as households maintaining just two to four cows or buffaloes should be brought under a formal registration system. They should undergo basic training in animal rearing, feeding practices, hygienic milking protocols, collection procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and record-keeping before supplying milk to collection centres, said the head of CPF.
Strict compliance should be mandatory, and milk from non-compliant producers should not be accepted. Regular and consistent visits by regulatory authorities would be essential to ensure adherence to these standards and to maintain quality across the supply chain, he stated.
Dairy operations have been regulated for many years; however, stronger oversight is still needed at the grassroots level. Raw milk producers, suppliers to dairies, and even sweet manufacturers must be monitored more rigorously to ensure compliance with quality and safety standards, said Hanchate.
"A stricter regulatory framework is essential so that only qualified and compliant operators are allowed to participate in the milk and dairy business, thereby safeguarding public health and maintaining product integrity," said Hanchate.
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