From 12 cattle to ₹3cr dreams: Gujarat woman farmer becomes dairy success story

Gujarat: Currently, about 16 households are associated with Ms Chaudhary in animal husbandry exercises.

Kasara’s Symbol of Cooperative Prosperity

In the dusty lanes of Kasara village, Kankrej taluka of Banaskantha district, the steady rhythm of milking machines tells a story of transformation. At 65, Maniben Jesung Chaudhary has turned her modest cattle shed into a beacon of cooperative-driven growth.

In 2024–25 alone, Ms. Chaudhary supplied nearly 3.47 lakh litres of milk worth ₹1.94 crore to the Patelvas (Kasara) Milk Producers’ Cooperative Society, earning her second place in Banaskantha’s prestigious “Best Banas Lakshmi” award.

From 12 Cattle to 230

What began in 2011 with just a dozen cows and buffaloes has now expanded into a herd of 230, including Banni, Mehsani, Murrah buffaloes, HF cows, and indigenous Kankrej breeds. Her family is preparing to add 100 more buffaloes this year, targeting milk sales of ₹3 crore by the end of 2025.

Speaking at the cooperative’s annual meeting in Badarpura, her youngest son Vipul explained,

“With proper guidance from Banas Dairy, we are progressing well. Today we have over 230 animals, including 140 adult buffaloes, 90 cows, and 70 calves. By year-end, we plan to expand further and cross ₹3 crore in milk sales.”

Family-Run, Tech-Enabled Dairy

Animal husbandry has become a family enterprise, with 16 associated families supporting Ms. Chaudhary’s work. Milking is done with modern machinery, while her three graduate sons are fully engaged in managing livestock, sales, and cooperative participation.

Vipul added that rising incomes in dairy farming are inspiring many young people in the region to adopt this profession.

Women at the Heart of Gujarat’s Dairy Cooperatives

Maniben’s success mirrors a wider trend across Gujarat, where women are central to the dairy economy. Of 16,000 milk producer societies, nearly 4,150 are managed by women, with over 11 lakh women members statewide.

At Banas Dairy, women alone supply milk worth over ₹50 lakh annually, underscoring how grassroots initiatives are driving self-reliance and rural prosperity.