Gujarat : Banaskantha Woman Supplies Rs.2.94 Crore Milk to Banas Dairy in a Year

BANASKANTHA : Forget the stereotype that success in farming comes only from owning acres of land or holding a high degree. In Banaskantha, Class 12 pass cattle farmer Taslimben Asifkhan Zaveri has built a remarkable dairy business that generated milk worth nearly ₹2.94 crore in a year, emerging as the highest milk supplier to Banas Dairy among women farmers.

A resident of Basu village in Vadgam taluka, Taslimben has transformed a family business that once began with just four to five buffaloes into a large-scale operation with more than 350 animals.

Her farm produces around 2,200 to 2,300 litres of milk every day, with the entire production supplied to Banas Dairy. According to the family, the daily expenditure on the operation is around ₹1.40 lakh to ₹1.45 lakh, covering feed, medicines, labour and other requirements.

Taslimben told Bhaskar that her next target is even more ambitious — expanding the herd to 500 buffaloes and generating milk worth ₹6 crore.

“Animal husbandry is better than doing other jobs if it is managed with proper planning and hard work,” she said.

The family’s dairy journey began around 1990, when Taslimben’s father-in-law started with only four or five animals. When she entered the family after marriage, there were around 15 to 20 buffaloes. From 2010, however, she began systematically expanding the enterprise, adding animals and improving its management.

Today, a team of 17 to 18 workers manages the farm around the clock. The family also operates two tractors and five pickup vehicles for transporting fodder, milk and other materials.

The farm has Jafrabadi, Kathiawadi and Murrah buffaloes, with family members closely involved in their care and management.

Despite the scale of the business, the challenges remain significant. About 70% of the milk income is spent on fodder, medicines and labour, while the family also purchases dry fodder from outside despite owning 18 to 20 bighas of land.

After accounting for expenses, the family estimates an annual net profit of around ₹82–83 lakh.

Taslimben had ranked second or third in milk supply at Banas Dairy meetings for the past few years. Determined to take the top spot, she intensified her efforts during 2025-26 — and achieved her goal.

Her journey now stands as an example of how traditional rural businesses can become major enterprises through planning, persistence and innovation, while offering an inspiring model of women-led entrepreneurship in Banaskantha.