Women in Gujarat achieve Atmanirbharta; around 4,150 of 16,000 cooperative societies managed by women in state

Women Powering Gujarat’s Dairy Boom: From Cooperatives to Million-Rupee Success Stories

In Gujarat, women are leading the charge in the animal husbandry sector, especially through dairy cooperatives and self-help groups. Out of over 16,000 milk producers’ cooperative societies in the state, around 4,150 are now run by women. That’s huge! From more than 36 lakh members statewide, over 11 lakh are women, according to a recent press release from the Chief Minister’s office.

Their impact shines bright in big operations like Banas Dairy, which handles nearly 90 lakh litres of milk every day. Women here are making waves in animal husbandry, boosting their families’ finances by supplying milk worth over Rs 50 lakh a year. It’s all about economic empowerment through dairy farming.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dreams of a strong cooperative sector that brings prosperity to farmers and animal husbandry workers in every village. Gujarat, under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s guidance, is turning this vision into reality and becoming a national leader in cooperatives.

Thanks to these efforts, animal husbandry farmers in Gujarat are thriving. Women are gaining self-reliance and motivating others in society. Take Maniben from Banaskantha district—she’s a perfect example of success in dairy cooperatives. In 2024-25, she sold milk worth Rs 1.94 crore, landing second place in her district’s Best Banas Lakshmi category. This year, she’s eyeing Rs 3 crore in sales!

Living in Kasara village, Kankrej taluka, 65-year-old Maniben Jesung Chaudhary supplies a whopping 1,100 litres of milk daily to the local Patelvas (Kasara) Milk Producers Cooperative Society. Last year, that added up to 3,47,180 litres, fetching her Rs 1,94,05,047. She got a well-deserved certificate at a recent general meeting in Badarpura, Banaskantha.

Maniben isn’t stopping there. Her youngest son, Vipul, says Banas Dairy’s guidance has been key. "Back in 2011, we started with just 10-12 cows and buffaloes. Now, we’ve grown to over 230 animals—140 adult buffaloes, 90 cows, and 70 calves." They’re planning to add 100 more buffaloes this year to ramp up milk production and hit that Rs 3 crore target by year-end.

The family has built proper sheds for their cattle, focusing on high-yield breeds like Banni, Mehsani, and Murrah buffaloes, plus HF cows and four local Kankrej cows. About 16 families now join Maniben in these animal husbandry activities. They use modern machines for milking, but everyone pitches in, showing true Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance).

Vipul adds, "All three brothers are graduates and fully involved. As incomes from dairy farming rise, more youngsters will jump into this field." Stories like Maniben’s highlight how women’s roles in Gujarat’s dairy cooperatives are driving real change in rural India.

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