A New Campaign Against Adulteration in Punjab

March 14, 2026

Good news has recently emerged from Punjab: over the past five years, milk production in the state has increased by 11.06 percent. According to a report by the Central Government’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, milk production is witnessing a year-on-year increase. In 2024-25, total milk production reached 14.8 million tonnes, whereas in 2020-21, this figure stood at 13.3 million tonnes.

However, alongside this positive development comes the concerning news that milk adulteration has also risen in Punjab. Over the last five years, 17.04 percent of the milk samples collected across the state failed quality tests; furthermore, 583 of these samples were not only substandard but also posed a serious risk to public health. Looking ahead to the current year, 2025-26, 14.07 percent of the milk samples tested so far have failed. In light of this, the Punjab government and the Food Safety Department have stepped up their vigilance significantly. To curb adulteration, the ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ initiative regularly conducts inspections and testing of food products.

These mobile testing vans are equipped to detect adulteration in milk, *paneer* (cottage cheese), water, and various other daily food essentials. Their mandate encompasses surveillance, inspection, and sample collection to check for adulteration in everything from general food items to milk. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act of India, individuals found guilty of adulteration face penalties ranging from fines to the cancellation of their licenses. A special 15-day campaign has now been launched across Punjab with the specific aim of preventing adulterators from compromising public health. During this drive, the department collected 754 samples, of which 852 failed the quality tests. Notably, 160 samples were deemed unsafe for consumption, while in five instances, the milk packets bore misleading information.