Introduction
Uttar Pradesh is the largest milk-producing state in India, contributing approximately 17% of the national output. The livestock sector supplements farm income for millions of small and marginal farmers, making it a critical component of the rural economy. Beyond dairy, poultry, fisheries, and goat rearing are rapidly growing sub-sectors.
Milk Production — UP Leads India
| Parameter |
Details |
| National rank |
#1 — largest milk producing state |
| Annual production |
~32 million MT |
| National share |
~17% |
| Per capita milk availability |
~400 g/day (above national average of ~444 g/day) |
| Dairy animals |
~3 crore cattle and buffalo |
UP surpassed Rajasthan to become India's top milk producer and has maintained this position consistently.
Major Cattle and Buffalo Breeds
Buffalo Breeds
| Breed |
Key Feature |
Region |
| Murrah |
Highest milk yield among buffaloes (~2,500 litres/lactation) |
Western UP, Haryana border |
| Nili-Ravi |
High fat content |
Limited in western UP |
| Bhadawari |
Highest fat percentage (~8%) among Indian buffaloes |
Etawah, Agra belt |
Cow Breeds
| Breed |
Key Feature |
Region |
| Sahiwal |
Best indigenous dairy cow (~2,000 litres/lactation) |
Western UP |
| Haryana |
Dual-purpose (milk + draught) |
Western UP |
| Tharparkar |
Drought-tolerant, good milker |
South-western UP |
| Gangatiri |
Indigenous UP breed from eastern UP |
Varanasi, Ballia, Ghazipur |
The Gangatiri is the only cattle breed indigenous to eastern UP, named after the Ganga-Ghaghra doab region.
Dairy Industry Infrastructure
Parag Dairy (UP State Dairy)
| Feature |
Details |
| Full name |
Pradeshik Cooperative Dairy Federation (Parag) |
| Headquarters |
Lucknow |
| Brand |
"Parag" milk and products |
| Network |
District-level milk unions across UP |
| Model |
Cooperative (similar to Amul's 3-tier model) |
Ananda Dairy
| Feature |
Details |
| Location |
Greater Noida |
| Type |
Private sector |
| Products |
Milk, paneer, ghee, ice cream |
| Market |
NCR and UP cities |
Amul Model Expansion
The Amul (Gujarat GCMMF) model is being replicated in UP through strengthening of district milk unions. Several UP districts now have functioning milk cooperatives linked to state-level federations.
Poultry Sector
Poultry farming is among the fastest-growing livestock sub-sectors in UP.
| Parameter |
Details |
| Key clusters |
Lucknow, Bareilly, Meerut, Agra, Kanpur |
| Growth driver |
Rising protein demand, urbanization |
| Types |
Broiler (meat), layer (eggs) |
| Annual egg production |
~5,000-6,000 million eggs |
| Challenges |
Disease outbreaks (bird flu), cold chain gaps |
Bareilly has emerged as one of the largest poultry hubs in North India.
Fisheries
UP has significant inland fisheries potential given its extensive river systems and ponds.
| Parameter |
Details |
| Type |
Entirely inland fisheries (no marine coast) |
| Major rivers |
Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghra, Rapti, Gomti |
| Fish production |
~7-8 lakh MT annually |
| State fish |
Moh / Chital (Chitala chitala) — also called clown knifefish |
| Key districts |
Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Ballia, Jaunpur, Prayagraj |
| Culture fisheries |
Growing rapidly in ponds and tanks |
Important Fish Species in UP
| Species |
Type |
Notes |
| Rohu (Labeo rohita) |
Indian Major Carp |
Most commercially important |
| Katla (Catla catla) |
Indian Major Carp |
Fastest growing carp |
| Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) |
Indian Major Carp |
Bottom feeder |
| Chital / Moh |
Predatory |
UP state fish |
| Pangasius |
Exotic catfish |
Expanding in pond culture |
Goat Rearing
| Parameter |
Details |
| Key breed |
Jamunapari — world's tallest goat breed |
| Origin |
Etawah district (banks of River Yamuna) |
| Characteristics |
Tall (75-85 cm), long ears, 2-3 litres milk/day |
| Other breeds |
Barbari (Agra-Mathura), Beetal (limited) |
| Uses |
Milk, meat, skin |
The Jamunapari goat from Etawah is internationally famous and has been exported to improve goat genetics in many countries. It is the foundation breed for the American Nubian goat.
Livestock Census Data (20th Livestock Census, 2019)
| Category |
UP Count (approx.) |
National Rank |
| Total livestock |
~6.8 crore |
1st |
| Cattle |
~2 crore |
Among top 5 |
| Buffalo |
~3.1 crore |
1st |
| Goat |
~1.5 crore |
Among top 5 |
| Poultry |
~3.5 crore |
Significant |
UP has the highest buffalo population of any state in India.
National Livestock Mission and Schemes
| Scheme |
Purpose |
| National Livestock Mission (NLM) |
Breed improvement, feed/fodder, entrepreneurship |
| Rashtriya Gokul Mission |
Indigenous cattle breed conservation |
| National Animal Disease Control Programme |
FMD and brucellosis vaccination |
| Kisan Credit Card for Dairy |
₹1.6 lakh loan for dairy animals |
| Mukhyamantri Govansh Sewa Yojana |
Stray cattle shelters (gaushala) support — UP-specific |
Key Takeaways
- UP is #1 in milk production (~32 million MT, ~17% of India)
- Major breeds: Murrah buffalo (highest yield), Sahiwal cow, Gangatiri (indigenous to eastern UP)
- Parag Dairy is UP's state cooperative dairy federation
- Jamunapari goat from Etawah is the world's tallest goat breed
- UP's state fish is Moh/Chital — all fisheries are inland
- UP has the highest buffalo population and highest total livestock in India
Summary Cheat Sheet
| Fact |
Answer |
| UP milk production rank |
1st in India |
| Annual milk output |
~32 million MT |
| National share |
~17% |
| State dairy cooperative |
Parag (PCDF) |
| State fish |
Moh / Chital |
| Famous goat breed |
Jamunapari (Etawah) |
| Indigenous cow breed of eastern UP |
Gangatiri |
| Buffalo with highest fat % |
Bhadawari (~8%) |
| Highest buffalo population state |
UP |
| UP livestock rank |
1st in India |