The Israelis will set up their first venture in the country by starting a dairy farm in Gujarat. An Israeli firm, Elbit Imaging, has decided to import 10,000 high-breed cows to set up a $100-million dairy unit at two locations in north Gujarat. The Gujarat government has leased out 143 hectares of land in two areas to the firm for 30 years to set up the dairy. The company proposes to implement the project in two phases. First, it will import 4,000 cows in order to establish a state-of-the-art dairy plant on 43 hectares at Ambasan village in Mehsana district. This was the Buffalo Bull Mother Farm run by the state animal husbandry department, which was shut down around 15 years ago. In the second phase, Elbit Imaging will import another 6,000 cows to extend the project to 100 hectares of land.
Elbit executives claim Israeli cows produce around 25 to 30 litres of milk a day, compared to 3 to 9 litres by local breeds.