Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF)

Brief
The Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) is a central sector scheme launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package. With an initial corpus of ₹15,000 crore, it aims to incentivize private investment in dairy, meat processing, and animal feed infrastructure.

Objectives
- Increase milk and meat processing capacity and promote product diversification
- Provide unorganized rural producers greater access to organized markets
- Ensure livestock farmers receive higher price realizations for their products
- Meet protein-enriched food requirements to combat malnutrition
- Boost exports and increase the sectors contribution to international trade
- Foster entrepreneurship and generate significant employment opportunities across India.

Eligibility Criteria
- Individual Entrepreneurs
- Private Companies
- Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
- Section 8 Companies (non-profit organizations)
- Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
- Dairy Cooperatives (eligible under realigned guidelines)

Benefits
- Eligible entities can receive bank loans covering up to 90% of the project cost
- 3% annual interest subsidy is provided for up to 8 years on the total term loan amount
- Maximum repayment tenure is 10 years, including a 2-year moratorium on the principal amount
- A credit guarantee of up to 25% of the loan amount is available for projects falling under MSME definitions
- Beneficiary contribution varies by category: 10% for Micro/Small units, 15% for Medium enterprises, and up to 25% for others

Nodal Department
- Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA&FW) - Department of Agriculture, GoAP