Who is eligible for DIDF?

Dairy cooperatives, milk unions, dairy producer companies and state dairy federations are the eligible borrowers. Private dairy companies do not qualify — DIDF is specifically designed for the cooperative and producer-company dairy sector.

What is the interest rate under DIDF?

DIDF provides loans at a rate 3% below the prevailing NABARD refinance rate, making it significantly cheaper than commercial borrowing for eligible dairy institutions.

What can the loan be used for?

Eligible uses include modernisation of existing dairy processing plants, cold chain expansion (refrigerated transport, bulk milk coolers), milk procurement infrastructure, and quality testing laboratories. The focus is on post-procurement infrastructure — not primary milk production at the farm level.

Is this a grant or a loan?

DIDF provides concessional loans (not grants). The loan must be repaid, but at a below-market interest rate. It is non-dilutive — no equity is taken.

How large is the DIDF corpus?

The DIDF corpus is ₹10,881 crore, channelled through NABARD. Individual loan amounts depend on the project size and NABARD''s appraisal.

Eligible dairy cooperatives and producer companies apply through NABARD''s regional offices. Submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the infrastructure project. NABARD appraises the project and, on approval, sanctions a concessional loan under DIDF.

DIDF — Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund

DIDF provides concessional loans at 3% below the prevailing NABARD refinance rate from a ₹10,881 crore corpus managed through NABARD. The reduced interest rate materially lowers the cost of capital for dairy infrastructure investment — modernising processing plants, expanding cold chains, upgrading milk procurement networks and setting up quality testing laboratories. Loan repayment is required (this is debt, not a grant), but the below-market rate and NABARD''s longer repayment tenures improve project viability. No equity is taken by the government or NABARD.

DIDF — Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund

DIDF — Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund

Grant providers

Application Process

How to apply

Sources

Grants closing soon

Competitions closing soon

Equity closing soon

Debt programs

Subsidies

Frequently Asked Questions

About this loan

Eligibility

Timelines & Process

Benefits & Funding

Grants closing soon

Competitions closing soon

Equity closing soon

Debt programs

Subsidies

Startup Software Credits

Higgsfield

Notion

Semrush

Reclaim.ai

Replit

Bolt

Manus

Warp

Google

Microsoft

Huawei

Mixpanel