Women Milk Farmers from Rajasthan show their might at IDF World Dairy Summit 2022

Udaipur : Lakhs of dairy farmers from Rajasthan, predominantly women, today demonstrated their resolve to create a niche in the value-added dairy products, showcasing before the global dairy sector at IDF World Dairy Summit, which was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi.

Two of these organizations – Sakhi & Asha – are fully created by rural women from Alwar and Udaipur regions respectively, while the biggest of the four producer organizations is Payas from the Pink City of Jaipur; with a combined ownership by about 170,000 stakeholders that included 110,000 women members from about 5,000 villages of dessert state of Rajasthan.

As if reflecting on Shri Modi’s comment that women in dairy sector account for over 70% of labour and efforts, Asha unveiled Marudhara Paneer and Curd, while Sakhi came out with Cow Ghee from Alwar which is a big tourist destination for not only Sariska Tiger Century but also known for the popular sweet – Milk Cake while Paayas drew from the strength of strong cow belt of Shekhawati to present Premium Ghee named after the organization.

All of them presented these products to the Chairman of National Dairy Development Board Shri Meenesh Shah who lauded the role of these milk producers from the state who came together and are procuring about 9,00,000 litres of milk per day to log an annual turnover of about Rs. 1,600 crores. He pointed out the three of four producers’ organizations are totally by the women of the state.  

They also profusely thanked National Dairy Development Board and its subsidiary NDDB Dairy Services for guiding and helping creation of the organization, clearing the path for a glorious future ahead after offering the branded product from women to NDDB Chairman, Shri Meenesh Shah and NDS MD, Dr. Saugata Mitra among others.

I stand proudly for all the women in Rajasthan and across the country in the dairy sector for being our inspiration. We will position ourselves as a change agent in true sense, a beaming Smt. Kanya, Chairperson of Asha told newsmen at the summit venue.

“Rural women have come together to show the world the strength of collective endevour to reach places where nobody thought we could reach for a social and economic positioning in the society. Our women only milk producer organization has a place of pride and with that I bring to this galaxy the proud products of Marudhara, signifying an oasis in the desert.” she added.  

Shri Dharmendra Malik, Chief Executive, Asha said, “The newly launched products Marudhara Paneer and Marudhara Curd will be made from the milk procured directly from around 28,000 women dairy farmers associated with the institution, in and around Udaipur. The new products will be made available in the areas of Udaipur, Pali, Sirohi, Jalore, etc.”   

Smt. Manjeet Kaur, Chairperson of Sakhi, which collects over 150,000 litres of milk every day from its membership of about 40,000 from nearly 800 villages spread over 4 districts in the backward Mewat region of Rajasthan said “amalgamating the rural strength of milk production with a clear vision of marketing outreach for reaching thousands of customers every day, Sakhi has taken very innovative and bold steps including milk on mobile vending machines driving the length and breadth of civil and commercial areas of Alwar also famous for high quality milk cake.

Sakhi, meaning close companions among the females, demonstrates the philosophical strengths of the women members of the organization and we are going to expand and grow in the region with new members and more villages to compete with the big dairy players and create our own identity associated with ‘fresh and healthy’ offerings, she added.”

Shri Dharmendra Kumar, Chief Executive, Sakhi informed that the new Cow Ghee will be available in packages of 1 litre for Rs. 700 each for Delhi NCR and Rajasthan besides putting it on e-commerce major Amazon and Flipkart.

Paayas – the oldest producer organization in the state – with about 40% women stakeholders in about a lakh members procures over 6.5 lakh litres of milk, says veteran Shri RK Singh who’s the Chief Executive of the organization, with an annual turnover of Rs. 1,200 crores.

The progressive Chairperson of Paayas Smt. Mamta Chaudhary said “Hon’ble Prime Minister has lauded before the global dairy industry the contribution of women in milk production in the country. We are overwhelmed and it will be our tribute to clock rapid growth in the state and become the flag bearers of dairy farmers.