Dairy Queens of Gujarat – Women-led Dairy Revolution in Banaskantha

Gujarat’s dairy cooperatives, particularly Banas Dairy (a member of GCMMF–Amul), are transforming rural economies. Women farmers, once confined to household duties, are now leading high-income dairy enterprises.

Table of Contents

Context

Gujarat’s dairy cooperatives, particularly Banas Dairy (a member of GCMMF–Amul), are transforming rural economies. Women farmers, once confined to household duties, are now leading high-income dairy enterprises.

Key Highlights

Scale of Women’s Participation: Out of 4.72 lakh farmers supplying milk to Banas Dairy, 1.68 lakh (36%) are women.
- Women manage between 200–300 cattle and supply 1,000–1,500 litres of milk daily.
Economic Empowerment: 14 women farmers earned ₹1 crore+ in FY 2024–25.
- Top earners: Navalben Chaudhary – ₹2.04 crore, Dariyanben Rajput – ₹1.85 crore, Taslimben Zaveri – ₹1.93 crore.
- Average monthly earnings of top producers: ₹15–20 lakh.
- Families now own modern houses, tractors, and vehicles.
Government support:
- 4,986 women-led milk societies in Gujarat.
- Women beneficiaries of animal husbandry schemes grew from 805 (2014–15) to 42,337 (2024–25).
- Cumulatively, 2.14 lakh women benefitted in 10 years.

Socio-Economic Impact

Women Empowerment: Women, once confined to household duties, now lead cooperatives and manage large herds.
- Greater control over finances and decision-making within families.
Economic Transformation: Rural families upgrading from kaccha houses to modern bungalows; rise in ownership of two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and tractors.
- Monthly direct deposits of ₹1,200 crore into farmers’ accounts.
Education and Social Mobility: Increased household incomes invested in children’s education, improving literacy in a previously backward district.
Employment Generation: Each successful dairy farm employs several support workers for cleaning, feeding, and milking cattle.
- Eg: Taslimben’s farm supports 22 families apart from her own.