Showcasing women’s growing aatmanirbharta in Gujarat, Banaskantha’s 65-year-old Maniben Jesung Chaudhary has set a remarkable milestone by selling milk worth 1.94 crore in 2024-25. Now, she aims to cross 3 crore in sales this year.
A resident of Kasara village in Kankrej taluka, Maniben supplies 1,100 litres of milk daily to the Patelvas (Kasara) Milk Producers’ Cooperative Society. Last year, she supplied 3,47,180 litres, earning second place in Banaskantha district’s “Best Banas Lakshmi” category and a certificate of recognition.
From just 10–12 cattle in 2011, her family now rears over 230, including Banni, Mehsani, and Murrah buffaloes, along with Holstein Friesian and Kankrej cows. This year, they plan to add 100 more buffaloes to increase production.
Her youngest son Vipul said, “With Banas Dairy’s guidance, we have grown steadily. All three brothers are graduates and fully engaged in animal husbandry. Rising incomes in this sector will inspire many youths to follow this path.”
Currently, 16 families work alongside Maniben, using modern machinery for milking and maintaining sheds for cattle care. Her story stands as an example of self-reliance for women in Gujarat’s thriving dairy sector.
Across the state, women play a crucial role in animal husbandry, managing over 4,150 of Gujarat’s 16,000+ milk producer cooperatives. Out of 36 lakh members, more than 11 lakh are women. At Banas Dairy alone, many women contribute by supplying milk worth over 50 lakh annually, strengthening both the dairy economy and their financial independence.