National Dairy Development Board will provide consultancy and technical know-how to dairy co-operatives across the country so that they can break into the growing global sweetmeats market.
The market is estimated to be worth Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) in India alone.
Sweetmeat makers would gain access to the latest technology that will enable them to meet challenges and quickly adapt to a rapidly changing norms in domestic and global markets. With the World Trade Organisation in place, sweetmeat makers can become a global force.
NDDB has initiated its first such project with Orissa Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets Sugam brand milk and sweemeat products.
Sugam was planning to enter into the sweetmeat market but lacked proper technical knowhow. It sought help from NDDB and the board helped out. The know-how can be shared with any other dairy co-operative in India interested in developing its sweetmeat business, said a source in NDDB.
NDDB has designed and developed some specialised equipment, which will be sold on commercial terms to both cooperative dairies and private entrepreneurs.
However, technical know-how on specific products will be offered to only co-operative dairies that are willing to enter into a technical-fee-cum confidentiality agreement, said the source.
NDDB will help the co-operatives set up dedicated, full hygiene, completely mechanised sweetmeats which will meet international norms. The plant design is such that they prevent all types of contamination, whether from pests or dust.
The plants have cleaning-in-place systems for sanitising all equipment surfaces that come in contact with milk products.
The processing and cleaning equipment have electronic controls to ensure that pre-defined process times and temperatures are maintained.
The plants also have recording systems so that the process can be confirmed and monitored at a later date.
Requesting anonymity, NDDB officials said that the plants were HACCP certified, indicating that they were in conformity with global standards relating to manufacture of safe food.
In developed countries, food processing units work under ISO/HACCP guidelines. Indian units exporting food items have been working to attain these standards and implementing them in lines manufacturing food items.
The global market in sweetmeats is projected to witness major growth till the end of this decade. Dairy co-operatives which meet international quality norms will be able to export their products.
In the vast domestic market for sweetmeats, the share of the organized sector in indigenous products was still very small. Localised manufacturers dominated the market.
However, the share of organised branded players was expected to grow rapidly in the coming years as urbanised buyers of ethnic products such as flavoured milk, curd, paneer, khoa and chhana-based sweets, butter milk, lassi and srikhand will go in for brands.
Increased purchasing power and higher disposable income will finance such buying, said sources.
Popular regional sweetmeats like 'rasgulla' in Kolkata, 'gulabjamun' in north India and the 'sandesh' of West Bengal enjoyed strong demand nationally.
There is the huge market abroad among NRIs who would like to have packaged and hygienically-made sweetmeat with longer shelf life.
NDDB sources said foreigners also bought Indian sweetmeats but feared contamination. They would buy products made with NDDB technology as the plants met international norms and were completely mechanised.
The equipments and composite plants designed and developed by NDDB include critical components like pneumatic paneer press and paneer hoops, cassette cheese press, khoa making machine, peda forming machine and cheese block washing machine.
Dairies could buy the equipment from NDDB or get NDDB to design the plant and its equipment and then get it locally manufactured at any foundry or small fabricating unit with localised service and support facility.
