Lucknow, Mar 10 (KNN) Leading FMCG company BL Agro has inaugurated a state-of-the-art cattle breeding and dairy centre in Bareilly with an initial investment of Rs 1,000 crore.
The Centre of Excellence for Cow Breeding and Dairy Technology, operated by subsidiary firm BL Khamdhenu, was formally inaugurated by Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday.
The project, named “Satat Kamdhenu,” emphasises circular practices in the dairy sector and represents a significant investment in agricultural transformation for the region.
The newly established BL Kamdhenu Farms will initially house 5,000 indigenous cows, with plans to expand to 10,000 as the project develops.
According to BL Agro Managing Director Ashish Khandelwal, while the initial investment stands at Rs 1,000 crore, the complete project is expected to require Rs 3,000 crore once it reaches full capacity.
Khandelwal emphasised that creating a sustainable circular economy that reduces agricultural waste while supporting local communities has been a primary objective.
The centre integrates cutting-edge breeding technologies, including in-vitro fertilisation, along with feed production facilities and bio-methanation capabilities for compressed biogas production.
This integration creates what the company describes as a comprehensive circular economy model.
Additionally, BL Agro introduced its new subsidiary, Leads Agri Genetics, which will focus on enhancing animal genetics and plant breeding, including the development of cattle breeds that produce lower methane emissions.
The company’s business model includes selling high-yielding cows to local farmers, providing quality feed, and purchasing the milk produced.
It will also source farm waste for its proposed compressed biogas plant.
BL Agro CEO Navneet Ravikar stated that in its initial phase, BL Kamdhenu will benefit approximately 5,000 local farmers within the next 2-3 years, with projections to impact between 100,000 to 200,000 farmers once the project reaches full capacity.
(KNN Bureau)
