Mithila Milk Union, Samastipur, Bihar: A Comprehensive Analysis and the Contributions of Managing Director D.K. Srivastava (2014-2022)
Mithila Milk Union, Samastipur, Bihar: A Comprehensive Analysis and the Contributions of Managing Director D.K. Srivastava (2014-2022) Organizational Overview and History Mithila Milk Union, officially registered as Mithila Dugdh Utpadak Sahkari Sangh Ltd., represents one of Bihar’s most significant dairy cooperative institutions. Established on September 14, 1987, under the Operation Flood Programme of the Government of India, the union was formed under the Bihar State Co-operative Societies Act, 1935, following the Anand pattern of dairy development. The union’s operational jurisdiction encompasses three districts: Samastipur (where its headquarters is located), Darbhanga, and Madhubani. This milkshed area represents a crucial component of Bihar’s dairy ecosystem, operating under the umbrella of the Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation Ltd. (COMFED), which markets products under the iconic “Sudha” brand. Historical Evolution and Infrastructure Development The union’s journey began modestly during the 1970s when milk procurement was handled by the Barauni Creamer through vendors engaged by Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS). This system continued under the aegis of the Dairy Development Department of the Government of Bihar until 1973-74, after which it was taken over by Bihar State Dairy Corporation. With the formation of COMFED in 1983-84, all procuring and chilling units were transferred to COMFED on a management basis. Starting with the Milk Chilling Centre at Tajpur with a handling capacity of 10,000 Litres Per Day (LPD), Mithila Milk Union has expanded considerably over the decades. The union currently owns and manages: Tajpur Chilling Centre: 10,000 LPD capacity Rosera Chilling Centre: 20,000 LPD capacity Darbhanga Packing Station-cum-Processing Plant: 50,000 LPD capacity Samastipur Dairy Plant: 250,000 LPD capacity (the flagship facility) The full-fledged dairy at Samastipur was installed in 1999 with an initial capacity of 40,000 LPD, receiving financial assistance from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Samastipur. The processing facility underwent significant expansion from 40,000 litres to 1.0 Lakh Litres Per Day (LLPD) in 1999, and subsequently to 2.50 LLPD in 2010, with financial assistance from the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). In 2020, the Bihar Government sanctioned a major infrastructure upgrade, approving a ₹61.21 crore dairy plant expansion at Samastipur. This investment was part of a broader state initiative to strengthen dairy infrastructure and enhance rural incomes through boosted processing capacity. Quality Certifications and Standards Mithila Milk Union achieved significant quality milestones by obtaining ISO 9001:2000 and HACCP (IS-15000) certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards in 2003. These certifications underscore the union’s commitment to maintaining international quality standards in milk processing and food safety management. The dairy operates as an ISO 9001-2008 and HACCP certified facility, ensuring adherence to stringent quality control measures. Procurement and Production Capacity Mithila Milk Union has demonstrated remarkable growth in milk procurement. Through dedicated efforts, the union procures an average of 355,000 LPD milk from its producer farmers. The union’s procurement network is extensive, with milk collection conducted at the village level through an organized system of Dairy Cooperative Societies. To ensure milk quality at the grassroots level, the union has established 55-58 Bulk Milk Coolers (BMCs), predominantly of 5 KL capacity, at DCS level under various government schemes including Rashtriya Samvikās Yojana (RSVY) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) implemented by the Government of Bihar. These BMCs collectively handle approximately 255,000 litres of milk per day, ensuring immediate chilling to maintain quality. According to data from the 2014-15 period, the union organized 2,170 dairy cooperative societies covering 1,545 revenue villages, connecting approximately 150,000 milk producers and their families. By March 2015, daily average milk collection reached 3.55 lakh litres with 1.48 lakh litres dedicated to marketing. Marketing and Distribution Mithila Milk Union markets pasteurized pouch-filled liquid milk in the urban areas of Samastipur, Darbhanga, and Madhubani districts, with an average sale of 156,000 LPD. The surplus milk beyond local marketing requirements is supplied to marketing dairies in Jharkhand and Mother Dairy Delhi. The union is well-equipped for efficient milk reception, processing, quality control, and storage, committed to timely supply of safe milk to customers. The union also markets various milk products including peda, kalakand, paneer, rasogulla, gulabjamun, butter, lassi, and misti dahi on behalf of sister unions through milk outlets, creating a wider customer base and stronger brand loyalty under the Sudha brand. During the Makar Sankranti festival period in 2021 (January 9-14), the union achieved record sales, with 1.98 lakh kg of curd and 17 lakh litres of milk sold. This achievement demonstrated the union’s capacity to meet seasonal demand spikes effectively. Cooperative Structure and Governance Mithila Milk Union operates under a democratic cooperative structure managed by an elected Board of Directors comprising an elected Chairman and eleven farmer-members belonging to the DCS at village level. The board also includes representatives from COMFED and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). The Managing Director, recruited by the Board, oversees day-to-day operations. The union’s mission emphasizes transparency, discipline, efficiency, and foresight in ensuring economic, social, and holistic development of producer-members by providing fair value for milk produced and necessary services for quality milk production at the rural level. Farmer Support Services Mithila Milk Union is deeply involved in enhancing milk production through comprehensive support services at every stage: 1. Artificial Insemination Services: The union provides technical inputs through trained self-employed AI workers from the same villages, ensuring genetic improvement of milch animals. 2. Veterinary Health Services: Regular veterinary health camps are organized covering disease control measures through first aid, vaccination, and deworming. 3. Input Supply: The union arranges daily supply of balanced cattle feed, fodder seeds, bypass protein feed, mineral mixtures, and calcium at farmers’ doorsteps on a no-loss-no-profit basis through milk transport vehicles. 4. Technology Transfer: The union engages in transferring technologies and creating awareness among producer-members through different extension media and methods to enhance milk production and procurement. 5. Training Programs: Cooperative Development Programs are conducted at Darbhanga and Madhubani district levels, providing training on producer rights, duties, milk production cost reduction, and benefits of milk cooperation. Awards and Recognition Mithila Milk Union has received numerous accolades for its outstanding performance: Best Award (2013): Honored by
D. K. Srivastava: The Dairy Technocrat Who Transformed Bihar’s Milk Industry
D. K. Srivastava: The Dairy Technocrat Who Transformed Bihar’s Milk Industry Dharmendra Kumar Srivastava’s story is the story of how one technocrat helped turn Bihar from a dairy-deficit state into a rising cooperative powerhouse, and then carried that experience into entrepreneurship to shape the next generation of dairy and food ventures. Roots in the White Revolution Born and educated in Bihar, D. K. Srivastava came of age just as India’s White Revolution was redefining the relationship between farmers, technology, and markets. He joined the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, in 1979 and completed his B.Tech in Dairy Technology in 1983, graduating with first‑division marks that reflected both aptitude and discipline. At NDRI he absorbed not just dairy engineering and processing science, but also the cooperative values that would remain the compass of his career—linking technology to farmer empowerment rather than to pure corporate profit. Keenly aware that technology alone is never enough, he later added management and rural development qualifications to his toolkit. He completed a Diploma in Rural Management and Welfare Administration from Patna University in 1989, and decades later, as a senior leader, earned a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Business Management from NMIMS, Mumbai, graduating with an “A” grade between 2020 and 2022. This combination of deep technical training and formal management education is one of the defining threads of his journey, allowing him to talk as comfortably with farmers as with policymakers and auditors. Early Career: From Industry to Cooperative Mission Srivastava’s professional life began in the world of heavy engineering when he briefly worked as a trainee engineer with Larsen & Toubro in Mumbai after graduating from NDRI. The role exposed him to large‑scale industrial project management and rigorous quality systems, but his heart lay with the rural economy rather than urban infrastructure. In September 1983 he returned to Bihar and joined the Bihar State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (COMFED), popularly known by its brand “Sudha,” as a young dairy technologist associated with the Patna Dairy Project. At Patna Dairy he moved through roles from apprentice officer to middle and then senior management, working across processing, quality control, maintenance, and product development. These years gave him hands‑on experience with every link of the cooperative dairy chain—milk reception, chilling, pasteurization, packaging, and the complex logistics required to move perishable products across a hot and infrastructure‑constrained state. He became known internally as someone who could bridge shop‑floor detail and strategic thinking, a trait that would later define his leadership at Samastipur. Product Innovator: The Sudha Ice‑Cream Breakthrough One of Srivastava’s most enduring contributions to India’s cooperative dairy movement came in the 1990s, when he led and championed new product development under the Sudha brand. He was closely involved in the creation and launch of Sudha Table Butter in 1992, giving Bihar’s cooperative sector a high‑value product that could compete with national brands and improve realization for farmers beyond fluid milk. Even more path‑breaking was the launch of Sudha Ice‑Cream in April 1995, where he is widely recognized as the first dairy technocrat to develop an organized ice‑cream line in India’s cooperative sector, two years before full deregulation of the dairy industry in 1997. At a time when ice‑cream was dominated by a few private brands and refrigeration infrastructure in eastern India was sparse, this was a bold technical and commercial move that required innovation in formulation, processing, and cold‑chain logistics. The success of Sudha Ice‑Cream opened the door for cooperative brands, including later expansions by cooperatives such as Amul, to aggressively enter and expand the organized ice‑cream market across India. It was this combination of technical ingenuity and market foresight that earned him the affectionate title “Ice Cream Man of Bihar” from colleagues and industry peers. The moniker symbolized not just a product, but a mindset—using value‑added dairy items to lift farmer incomes and strengthen cooperative finances. Building Institutions: Patna Dairy and Beyond Through the 1990s and 2000s, Srivastava’s role within COMFED expanded steadily as he contributed to the strengthening of Patna Dairy and later other units in Bihar’s cooperative network. He was involved in improving plant efficiencies, implementing better quality systems, and helping standardize operating procedures that would eventually be replicated in multiple dairies across the state. These efforts contributed to creating a reliable, hygienic milk supply for urban consumers and a dependable, transparent market for rural producers. As COMFED’s footprint grew, Bihar’s milk production and processing capacity rose significantly, and Patna Dairy became not just a processing center but a symbol of organized dairy development in eastern India. Srivastava’s work at Patna laid the technical and managerial foundation he would later carry into his most influential role: Managing Director of Mithila Milk Union at Samastipur. Transformational Leadership at Mithila Milk Union, Samastipur In 2012, Srivastava took over as Managing Director of Mithila Milk Union (MMU), Samastipur, one of the key units under COMFED, serving the Mithila region of Bihar. When he assumed charge, MMU was an important but still evolving institution, with modest milk collection volumes and infrastructure that needed modernization to match rising demand. Under his leadership, Mithila Milk Union’s annual turnover grew to around ₹700 crore, supported by marketing more than 3.3 lakh liters per day (LLPD) of milk and over 15 metric tons per day of curd and sweets, according to public profiles describing his tenure. Milk procurement expanded from roughly 1.5 LLPD to about 4 LLPD, reflecting both enhanced farmer participation and stronger rural collection systems. This growth directly translated into higher and more stable incomes for tens of thousands of small and marginal dairy farmers in Samastipur, Darbhanga, and Madhubani districts. Recognizing that infrastructure is the backbone of any dairy cooperative, Srivastava championed over ₹150 crore of investments in MMU’s physical and processing capacity. He oversaw the establishment of a modern, PLC‑based automated milk processing plant with a capacity of around 5 LLPD and a 30 metric ton per day milk powder plant, allowing the union to handle seasonal surpluses and reduce wastage. Complementary initiatives such as fodder seed processing, bulk