How Technology and Automation Revolutionising in Dairy Industry in India?
Milk is the most consumed food item in the Indian households. The Indian dairy sector has witnessed so many changes in the recent years manual operations are now replaced by large machines with better functioning resulting in efficiency and increased productivity. However, dairy industry is the least mechanized industry compared to other sectors of agriculture due to being perceived as a secondary occupation of farmers. Today dairy has become main source of bread and butter of millions of rural populations.
The Indian dairy industry has benefited greatly in recent years from technology-driven products, facilities and solutions. The role of technology in the dairy industry has grown from automated/mechanized milk collection and testing the composition at the village level to real-time milk procurement, assessment of total milk quality parameters, automatic dairy plant operation and so on.
The benefits of automation on the dairy farm are; improved profitability, animal health, lifestyle and milk quality. Automation saves time, but it can also provide information that will enable dairy farmers to be proactive rather than reactive, especially in terms of nutrition, reproduction and animal health.
The Indian dairy industry has benefited greatly in recent years from technology-driven products, facilities, and solutions. Technology will be critical in bringing in and maintaining the country’s third white revolution. The role of technology in the dairy industry has grown from automated/ mechanized milk collection and testing the composition of milk at the village level to real-time milk procurement, assessment of total milk quality parameters, automatic dairy plant operation, and so on. With the click of a button, one can now track data/ information at the farmer level in the milk pool. In addition, technology is making critical inroads to modernize and revolutionize the dairy sector’s other major spheres.
The right technology and its proper application are needed to assist the largely unorganized Indian dairy industry to structure itself better. The majority of the pain points, or challenges experienced in handling a perishable commodity such as milk, can only be solved by using technology-based solutions. An attempt is being made to digitize as many data points as possible.
Given below are the areas wherein the role of technology has been acknowledged and adoption is expected to grow further:-
Milk Quality and Freshness: Milk is a perishable commodity. It has a tendency to go stale i.e. undergo adverse irreversible quality deterioration if not chilled in time including pasteurization, freezing, and other preservation methods. Milk can now be detected for freshness and thanks to the advancements in technology; it can be processed in such a way that it can be used for a longer duration. Milk purity, microbial load, adulterants, and shelf life can now all be calculated using technology-based apps and programs at the farmer, dairy plant, and customer levels. A few quality criteria that used to necessitate well-established laboratories, wet chemistry techniques, and time-consuming methodologies are being replaced by technology-driven devices.
Monitoring Supply Chain Systems: Due to its dependence on various factors such as cold temperatures, weather, shelf life, and so on, the dairy supply chain in India is highly complex. Milk is one of those products that need to get to its customers in the best possible condition soonest. As a result, technology plays an important role in ensuring timely distribution, cold chain maintenance, and so on. In addition, the supply chain’s participants can efficiently control inventory. The cold chain management system is expected to advance at a breakneck speed. Cold chain systems are now mounted at the shelf level in the malls or marketplace, rather than being confined to insulated/ refrigerated trucks, warehouses, or cold stores/ freezers.
E-commerce Marketplace: Technology is fully responsible for connecting consumers and businesses. On the back end, the seller is linked to the farmers/ suppliers to ensure/ monitor the in-flow of milk. The seller can easily ensure product traceability on both sides of forwarding and backward linkages. Farmers and dairy producers will obtain doorstep services on their smartphones especially with modern equipment and advisory services made possible by technological advancements.
There are numerous initiatives under implementation/ development while technology is gaining acceptance at the farmer level because of its usefulness and ease of adoption, i.e.
Farm Management Systems: A dairy farm must ensure that all of its activities are running smoothly. Farm management systems can assist in the digitization of output and operation processes. Access to energy, a data revolution, and the humble smartphone, with access to wider markets, verifiable knowledge, and high-quality services, are the first steps in empowering farmers. Technology has made it very simple for a farmer to keep track of large herd sizes using an app-based system that can operate on mobile phones. At scale, online payments to farmers are easing operations, providing financial independence, and lowering costs.
Wherein the herd record, performance of cows, managing the breeding cycle, lactation cycle, and vaccination schedule is kept so handy and alerts are generated for a specific activity required at farm/ cow level. There are a few applications that can measure the nutritional needs of cows and feed them accordingly. These programs will automate and digitize a dairy farm’s end-to-end operations. Farmers may also track cattle health, diet, lactation, health conditions, pregnancy, and other factors using RFID-based chips in real-time. Robotic milking machines and herd tracking drones are already being used to control vast dairy farms in developing countries.
Product Traceability: Consumers are becoming more health-conscious and knowledgeable about the origins and quality of the foods they eat. The food supply chain’s traceability is important for consumer retention. The reason why numbers of dairy producers are turning to technology is to show farmers where their products are going, as well as how the milk is being processed and used. Consumers may also use technology, such as a QR code on their phones, to track how their product was collected, packaged, shipped, and then stored.
The Indian dairy industry is really at an inflection point, with multiple opportunities to broaden its influence around the world. As we witness a radically different global paradigm, the dairy industry can play a crucial role in democratizing India’s entrepreneurship landscape, bringing rural communities into the mainstream. It is imperative that we do full justice to the demographic dividend bestowed upon us, and facilitate innovation, efficiency, and scale for the dairy industry.
How is technology changing the dairy industry?
At Farm Level:
The dairy sector’s primary constraint is the low productivity across dominant species of dairy animals- cows and buffaloes. The population of high-yielding cross-bred animals has seen slow growth in India, contributing only 28% of the total milk production, with the rest being contributed by the indigenous breeds. Apart from productivity challenges, animal health monitoring, lack of quality fodder and feed, and limited market access, have been critical bottlenecks in the dairy sector. Precision dairy farming has been introduced to maximize animal performance and early detection of diseases in cows. In 2018, the Karnataka government implanted GPS-enabled digital chips to the ears of 56 lakh animals across the state to track their health and early diagnosis of any medical condition. Cattle monitoring via AI-based solutions is still in its infancy in India, with only a few companies providing this service. Stellapps Technologies is digitalizing and enabling supply chain traceability for dairy companies by developing a wearable technology that helps in efficient herd management. Companies such as Allflex and GEA are offering RFID tags for cattle management in India. Ag-tech start-ups like Brainwired and VetWare have developed herd management applications for better cattle record keeping.
Collection and Procurement:
Over the years, reports and surveys by FSSAI have shown high levels of adulteration and contamination in milk. More than 5% of the milk tested by FSSAI in 2019 was reported to be contaminated with Aflatoxin M1 residues and deemed unfit for human consumption. Cases of intentional adulteration of milk to increase the volume by using water, increasing thickness through adulterants like glucose, starch, and paint, have also been reported widely in the country. Rapid milk quality testing kits have been recently approved by FSSAI, which can help curb these instances at the procurement level and monitor and maintain the quality of milk for processing and further value addition. The FSSAI approved kits for detecting aflatoxins, antibiotics, and microbial contaminants in dairy are supplied by players such as Unisensor, 3M India Ltd, Jupiter GlassWorks, Delmos Research Ltd., etc. Apart from testing at the collection centres, at-home testing kits have also been developed by companies like Biosyl Technologies and VeriPure for customer reassurance.
With the increase in the complexity of the dairy supply chain system, consumers know very little about the products produced or processed by producers or processors. Such information asymmetry present in the dairy industry has serious concern over human health, environmental sustainability, and welfare issues. There is a need to improve the communication between the supply chain players to enhance coordination and maintain traceability. Blockchain adoption in dairy can provide complete transparency in the end-to-end order and delivery process, thereby increasing adherence to regulatory norms and decreasing the instances of adulteration. This system can be used in tracing food information, including farm operations conducted and support in building a trust level among the various stakeholders. Reliable tracking of every batch in the milk value chain can help establish traceability, identify the defective products and discard the batches that have been impacted.
Processing and Transportation:
Although the dairy industry is not an energy-intensive sector, higher energy needs are requisite in the proper storage and transportation of milk. Remote regions with many dairy farms do not have adequate electricity to power cold chain facilities, leading to loss.
Dairy farms in remote locations with poor grid connectivity are at a severe disadvantage and face loss in quality and economic terms. According to ASSOCHAM estimates, about 3% of the milk produced gets wasted annually. A diesel generator for power backup is the current option for village-level chilling, which is expensive, less eco-friendly, and needs regular maintenance. Alternatives such as thermal energy-based storage and chilling systems by players such as Promethean Power Systems and Ecogen Energy can address the needs of dairy farms in off-grid locations. With thermal energy-based cold storage being a more cost-effective replacement for diesel-generator backup, collection centres and dairy processors are assured of better quality and volumes of milk and lower operational costs.
The dairy industry has a large carbon footprint during milk processing from the farm to the retail supply chain. Water consumption during milk production and processing is also high, which can be controlled through sustainable solutions. Wastewater treatment in the dairy industry in India is done in three phases through filtration systems, effluent treatment systems, and aerobic treatment. These methods require more efficiency with the increased production capacities. The introduction of cloud-based technologies can help the dairy industry reach maximum efficiency and reduce water consumption through smart monitoring and real-time water usage tracking. Fluxgen Engineering Technologies, a Bangalore-based start-up, uses IoT and AI to help manage and regulate water usage in food processing and manufacturing plants, can use efforts to increase efficiency in such processes through digitization. Their AquaGen system helps in real-time productivity and water consumption monitoring, which has reduced water usage by 15%, translating to monetary savings for a dairy farm in Puducherry.
Export Market:
There is a broad scope to improve and increase the processing capacity of industries and direct a more significant share of milk and milk products through the formal channel. With the shift towards convenience products, there is a need for advancements in the processing and packaging of milk products. Appropriate R&D interventions and newer developments in the dairy processing area, focusing on novel aspects of emerging technologies, can help alleviate the quality of these products in the domestic and international markets. India’s low share of dairy exports globally (0.36%) can be increased with increasing processing capacity of products that hold potential in the global market, such as cheese, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, and butter, and improving quality capable of meeting international requirements.
Retail and Distribution:
Keeping track of trucks and tanker routes and capabilities for viewing, monitoring, and payment based on route or distance has been complex in a largely unorganized market in India. The Kerala state government is implementing a project to leverage blockchain technology to streamline the state’s milk, fish, and vegetable purchase and distribution. The project aims to ensure speedy delivery of high-quality milk by continuously monitoring production, procurement, and distribution through an electronic ledger.
A fault in the proper transfer of dairy items by such companies leads to spoilage of products due to the perishable nature of these food commodities. Integration of the internet of things with the Blockchain platform helps gather the information needed during the transfer of goods from one place to another to be easily traced.
RFID tags and mobile applications are being used to monitor the movement of trucks and refrigerated tanks to make sure they adhere to fixed parameters like the temperature in which the products are to be kept to maintain the quality of the products. Indian dairy-tech start-up Mr. Milkman is a last-mile dairy supply chain SaaS platform that enables dairy food product companies to efficiently manage multiple aspects of dairy distribution, supply chain, customer subscriptions, and delivery requests.
With dairy-tech start-ups entering the space and bridging the gaps in cattle management and the supply chain, the scenario is changing. There is a need for investment in technology to keep up with the changing consumer needs for transparency, traceability, and quality assurance. The future of the Indian dairy sector appears bright, as digitalization is expected to usher in a new era of growth.
How automation revolutionizes dairy industry manufacturing:
- Better Farm Management
A dairy farm must ensure that all of its activities are running smoothly. Technology has made it very simple for a farmer to keep track of large herd size using an app-based system that can operate on mobile-phones. Farmers can track the herd record, performance of cows, managing the breeding cycle, lactation cycle and vaccination schedule and can generate alerts as well using RFID-based chips and other programs. These programs will automate and digitize a dairy farm’s end-to-end operations. Robotic milking machines and herd tracking drones are being used to control vast dairy farms in developed countries.
- Improved Production Capacity and better control
Automation within the dairy industry manufacturing creates robotic systems that can work at a constant rate, 24 hours a day, unlike human labor. Introduction of new product lines without necessarily affecting on-going operations can help increase capacity within the plant. Integrated systems such as the Manufacturing Execution System can help dairy farms and plants to have precise control over their production processes. The information management systems generate automated reports of the production data for effective planning and optimization of plant processes.
- Consistent Product Quality
Automated manufacturing plant can operate for long durations with less variability, resulting in consistency in the products processed that helps standardize all products leaving the plant. Controllers allow plant managers to fine-tune the production unit with defined workflows and timelines.
- Food Safety
Automation of dairy farm reduces the need for human control, which eliminates the chances of human error during the production process. Automated processes such as controlled cleaning within the production lines prevent contamination through unwanted mixing of products. Milk freshness, purity, microbial load, adulterants and shelf-life can now calculates using technologies-based apps and programs.
- Product Traceability
Automation of production lines allows for effective tracking of products. Farmers can create an inventory tracking that begins at the reception area of the raw materials, through the production systems and batch tracking of the finished products. It helps in easier tracing and investigation of defective products that may end up on the shelves. Dairy producer using technology to show farmers how the milk is being processed and used. Consumer may also use the technology, such as QR code to track how their product was collected, packaged, shipped and then stored.
- Monitoring Supply Chain System
Technology plays an important role in ensuring timely distribution, cold chain maintenance and control over inventory. Milk is highly perishable product that needs to get to its customers in the best possible condition as soon as possible. GPS driven Supply Chain Network technology stop theft of goods and fuel and increase saving. Usage of this technology in procurement and delivery vehicles reduce unauthorized usage of vehicles and increase the accountability of drivers and employees.
Automation in dairy industry manufacturing helps businesses adopt effective practices that improve production control while increasing its capacity. It can also help to minimize errors on the production floor as well as support production consistency.
How Internet of Cows (IoC) the farm monitoring mechanism is redesigning Dairy Management
The Internet of Things is commonly associated with smart home control devices, wearables like the FitBit, vehicles and other device equipped objects that connect to the internet and exchange data. But have you ever heard about the Internet of Cows (IoC)? We rarely ever think of applications of IoT in the context of non-device-based things, like a “Cow” for example.
Traditional farm monitoring has become impasse. Between milking, feeding and maintaining the farm, farmers face challenges with effectively managing their cattle. Hence, there is a need for an innovative system that can impact the productivity while simultaneously improving farmer’s life. Animal sensors precision technology is already making its mark. Who knew something as unexpected as a cow had the potential of playing a role in the Internet of Things.
These biosensors gadgets or biometers are designed to survive even the toughest environments in the farm while constantly measuring data. This data is being analysed on the cloud in terms of the number of steps the cows take during the day. Using and applying technology to detect the patterns of heat detection, conception and pregnancy rate can tremendously improve the farm produce quality and also, the standard of living for animals. These sensors effectively serve as a heat map for farmers.
Sensors and wearable devices implanted in animals can measure body temperatures, pH levels, observe and analyse behaviour, movements, patterns, detect illness and viruses pushing the data online to be analysed. However, there are applications that can be built without the use of sensors and devices that connect directly too which can become increasingly accessible.
Dutch tech company Connecterra is one of several companies putting the Internet of Things to work in agriculture. It has designed a sensor-packed necklace for cows that comes with a companion app. Cows have a fairly standard behaviour, so from the behavioural data, farmers can fairly accurately assess what is going on. For example, farmers can set up the app so that the system gives a signal if a cow has a sore leg. The collar has a range of 1Km, the system is designed so that farmers can set up remote field access points to help increases coverage across farms of larger scale.
North Carolina (NC) based AAD has designed a portable dairy testing device which can monitor elevated white blood cells in livestock and act as a gauge in the detection of mastitis, which causes inflammation of the udders. The start-up’s technology promotes reduced use of antibiotics in cows while ensuring health and welfare of those animals who need treatment.
India-based Stellapps, which offers a cloud-based farm and herd management system, tracks cow metrics including fertility and steps of activity with its tracking devices, promising internet-based health alerts and increased productivity for farms.
The emergence of the ‘Internet of Cows’ sector has given farmers more options to help manage the health of their cattle. For example, most cows get milked twice a day, but if you know one is getting mastitis, you can milk the cow four times a day to help flush it out and avoid antibiotics. In terms of putting “things” on the internet, we’re starting to see new and innovative applications every day and the cow on the internet is a perfect metaphor for the potential that lies ahead.
Dairy is one of the biggest agri- businesses in India and a significant contributor to Indian economy (around 4%). Dairy activities form an essential part of the rural Indian economy,
serving as an important source of employment and income. Dairy is the only agri-product in which around 70-80% final market value is shared with farmers and it accounts for approximately one-third of rural household income in India. It serves wide range of consumer needs too – from protein supplements and health foods to indulgence foods such as yogurt and ice creams. As per the NITI Aayog working group 2018 report, milk production in India will increase to around 330 million tonnes in 2032-33, and milk supply will exceed milk demand by 38 million tonnes in 2032-33. India also has the largest bovine population in
the world. As one of the fastest growing beverage segments in the Indian market, dairy is predicted to become a billion-dollar market by 2021. However, the industry in India faces challenges of disorganization with only 20-25% of the total milk produced going through appropriate organized channels. The union budget 2018-19 provided a special focus on the dairy industry in rural sector in order to contribute to the organisation, development of supply chain management and the introduction of technology.
Recent Technology Upgradation in Dairy Sector
In recent years there have been significant technological advancements in the Indian dairy industry, from cattle healthcare to supply chain management. Some of the technologies are already in practice in India, but the adoption is still quite low while many others are yet to penetrate the industry. A number of tech start-ups are working towards digitizing the dairy supply chain, improving milk quality and production. According to analysts, the Indian dairy industry comprises 300 million bovine population spread across 75 million dairy farmers. These smallholder dairy farmers lack veterinary support, advice on cattle nutrition, access to optimal nutrition and animal health products, transparent markets for trading cattle and, in some cases, market access for their milk. At
the same time, private dairies and dairy cooperatives struggle with sourcing milk, managing farmer payments, building traceable supply chains, and ensuring quality. A Bengaluru-based Stellapps uses IoT for efficient milk production, milk procurement and cold chain management. It assimilates this data on a cloud platform, analyses it and provides real time, actionable intelligence to all stakeholders via mobile devices. Cattle health is the most important aspect of any dairy business, considering that it is directly connected with the milk output. Diseases like sub-clinical mastitis, one of the most common diseases in the dairy industry, cost the Indian dairy industry $1 billion annually. A machine learning platform developed by start-up MooFarm is working with Microsoft to create a product that uses machine vision to detect whether the cattle have subclinical
mastitis using the images of its udder. The algorithm detects the change in markings or discoloration in the udder among many more features to make the prediction. They are also working on a project that involves measuring the Body Conditioning Score (BCS) just by using images of the cattle from three different angles. Alongside technological developments to improve farming methods and the organizational supply chain, big data is another arena which Indian companies are turning to. In order to accurately predict consumer behavior and buying patterns, big data is a key as companies such as Doodhwala have discovered. Noticing a pattern in millennial consumers prioritizing convenience, Doodhwala created a subscription-based milk delivery platform and now
deliver more than 30,000 liters of milk every day before 7am in Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad. Also, Gurugram-based Country Delight delivers milk and dairy products directly from the farmer to the customer, building a fresh food brand with milk as the mode of entry to the customer's doorstep. But to achieving the AI vision of India's dairy sector there are some challenges. First, one of
the biggest roadblocks to these innovations is lack of dataset availability. There are no standardized datasets that can be used to develop AI solutions like health monitoring, financial products, and cattle trading marketplace. Second, it can be difficult to extend high- end technology solutions to the rural population. For AI to disrupt India's dairy industry and help farmers, governments must create ecosystems that enable innovators to improve the lives and incomes of smallholder.
DR UMESH K. TANUVAS
IMAGE-CREDIT-GOOGLE
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