Priya Singh
Sitamarhi: Bihar continues its march towards a stronger position in India’s dairy sector with the launch of a new 30 MTPD milk powder plant in Sitamarhi, days after the foundation stone was laid for a 20 MTPD curd and lassi plant at the Biharsharif Dairy Project in Nalanda.
The milk powder plant, set up at a project cost of Rs 76.60 crore under the Bihar Government’s State Plan for 2025-26 and 2026-27, was launched at Bakhri in Sitamarhi by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. A fish brood bank also began breeding activities at the site, giving a fresh push to the district’s fisheries sector.
The initiatives were launched in the presence of Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, Bihar Minister for Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Resources Nand Kishore Ram, and Bihar Minister for Industries and Sports and in-charge Minister for Sitamarhi Shreyasi Singh.
The new milk powder facility will help Bihar handle surplus milk, extend its shelf life and create greater opportunities for value addition within the dairy value chain. The fish brood bank will support fish farmers by strengthening the availability of quality fish seed and breeding facilities.
Speaking at the event, Shirsat Kapil Ashok, Secretary, Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Resources Department, Bihar, and Chairman and Managing Director, COMFED, said the new infrastructure would open up fresh opportunities for farmers, livestock rearers and fishers and strengthen rural livelihoods.
The twin initiatives are expected to give a boost to local value chains, improve income opportunities and support the growth of Sitamarhi’s rural economy. Together with the ongoing expansion of dairy processing infrastructure across the state, they mark another step towards building a stronger and more value-driven dairy and fisheries ecosystem in Bihar.