Donkey milk in institutions: Answer in the Indian Parliament 2024

In a parliamentary response dated December 17, 2024, the Indian government mentions two ICAR-NRCE research projects on donkey milk and a subsidy program of up to 50 lakh rupees that also includes donkeys.

The source in brief

• Author: Government of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying); response by Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh
• Work: Lok Sabha, Unstarred Question No. 3580 “Non-Bovine Milk”, answered on December 17, 2024
• Section: Questions (a) and (b) with answers; answer to (b): paragraphs on National Livestock Mission and ICAR-NRCE
• Time and place: December 17, 2024 · India
• Type of source: Parliamentary response (India)

Verbatim

Integrated analysis for the ultra-deep compositional characteristics of donkey colostrum and mature milk

Integrated analysis of the detailed composition of donkey colostrum and mature donkey milk (project title).

English, Lok Sabha AU 3580, answer to (b)

German translation: free, faithful translation by the DON DONKEY'S editorial team.

Background

Members of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, can submit written questions to the government (“unstarred questions”). The responses from the ministries are published in the parliamentary archive and are official government documents.

In December 2024, Members of Parliament S. Jagathratchakan and Sanjna Jatav inquired about the potential of milk from animals other than cows and buffaloes and about planned government initiatives. The ministry responsible for animal husbandry and the dairy industry responded.

What the source reports

Regarding (a), the ministry states that, in its view, non-bovine milk has great potential and that India could play an important role in its global market. In addition to cow and buffalo milk, the food safety authority FSSAI has also established standards for goat, sheep, and camel milk.

Regarding (b), the ministry refers to the Entrepreneurship Development Programme of the National Livestock Mission for sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys, with subsidies of up to 50 lakh rupees (5 million rupees) for individuals and certain groups.

The response also mentions two projects by the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines: one on a model donkey farm and the investigation of the purported properties of donkey milk, and one on the detailed analysis of the composition of colostrum and mature milk.

Figures and facts

• 3580 – Number of the written inquiry (Lok Sabha)
• 17.12.2024 – Date of the response
• 50 lakh ₹ – maximum subsidy in the subsidy program (5 million rupees)
• 2 – ICAR-NRCE donkey milk projects mentioned
• 3 – Non-bovine milk types with FSSAI standards (goat, sheep, camel)

Critical assessment

• Type of source: Official government response to Parliament. It describes subsidy programs and projects but does not substantiate any properties of the milk.
• Formulations regarding effects: The response speaks generally of the “therapeutic properties” of non-bovine milk; one project is intended to investigate such properties in donkey milk for the first time. This is a political assessment or research question, not evidence.
• Regulatory finding: The response indirectly confirms that, at the end of 2024, donkey milk was not among the milk types with their own FSSAI product standard.

Our assessment

For us, the response primarily shows that India explicitly includes donkeys in its animal husbandry subsidy program and is conducting state-funded research on the composition of donkey milk. We do not adopt any statements regarding its effects.

Evidence: Question and answer in the parliamentary archive (Digital Library Lok Sabha, PDF) · Summarized by the DON DONKEY'S editorial team, as of November 2026.

End of source summary. The source does not refer to DON DONKEY'S® or our products. Our donkey milk is a food.