OPERATION FLOOD//WHITE REVOLUTION

WHAT IS OPERATION FLOOD?

Operation Flood is the program that led to "White Revolution." It created a national milk grid linking producers throughout India to consumers in over 700 towns and cities and reducing seasonal and regional price variations while ensuring that producers get a major share of the profit by eliminating the middlemen.

WHEN IT WAS LAUNCHED?

Operation Flood, launched on 13 January 1970, was the world’s largest dairy development program and a landmark project of India’s National Dairy. It transformed India from a milk deficient nation into the world’s largest milk producer, surpassing the United States of America in 1998.

WHO WAS FATHER OF WHITE REVOLUTION?

Verghese Kurien was a key figure in this process. He was the founder and chairman of Amul and the chairman of the National Dairy Development Board which spearheaded the project.

November 26th, 2021 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Dr. Kurien.

OBJECTIVES:

Operation Flood’s objectives included-

Increase in milk production

Augmented rural incomes

Fair prices for consumers

Increased income and reduced poverty among participating farmers while ensuring a steady supply of milk in return

Different Phases of the White Revolution

Operation Flood was launched in three – phases that are discussed below:

Phase I started from 1970 and lasted for 10 years i.e. till 1980. This phase was financed by the sale of butter oil and skimmed milk powder donated by the European Union through the World Food Program. For the successful implementation of the programme, certain aims were defined in the initial stage of Phase I. One such aim was the improvement in the marketing strategy of milk in the metropolitan cities to accomplish the goals.

Phase II lasted for five years from 1981 to 1985. During this phase, the number of milk sheds increased from 18 to 136, milk outlets were expanded to about 290 urban markets, a self-sustaining system was set up that included 4,250,000 milk producers spread across 43,000 village cooperatives. The production of domestic milk powder increased from 22,000 tons in the year 1980 to 140,000 tons by 1989, and the sale of milk also increased by several million litres a day due to direct marketing of milk by the cooperatives. All of the enhancements in production were simply because of the dairies set up under Operation Flood.

Phase III: (1985–1996) enabled dairy cooperatives to expand and strengthen the infrastructure required to procure and market increasing volumes of milk. Veterinary first-aid health care services, feed, and artificial insemination services for co-operative members were extended, along with intensified member education.

Why is it significant?

In 3 decades, the White Revolution succeeded in doubling the milk availability per person in India.

In 2018, some 22% of the global milk output was from India.

It has made India’s dairy farming the single largest self-sustainable rural employment provider in the country.

The Revolution succeeded in boosting the incomes and the wealth of cattle-owning small farmers in India. They number in millions and many of them are women.

Amul has turned out to be one of India’s most loved brands. It is internationally respected for its product quality and efficient management system. It is successfully competing with well-established brands from across the world.

This farmer-owned enterprise brought up many technological challenges. For solving these, Dr. Kurien and his compatriots were compelled to develop indigenous solutions. This was amidst the widespread belief that Indians couldn’t make it.

National Milk Day.