The dairy farming business in Bandipora in J&K seems to have become a hot cake amongst the youth. Due to the government-sponsored schemes and incentives more and more start-ups and dairy units take up the sponsored schemes of the government.

The Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad, said there are 37 beneficiaries of the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme in the district and the administration is doing everything to facilitate the educated youth in taking the benefits of the schemes and becoming financially independent.

“Today, the production capacity of the district has increased to 2,800 litres per day which is a good number and is expected to increase further. Due to good climate and soil, Bandipora has a lot of potential for the Animal Husbandry sector, especially dairy farming and this is encouraging a lot of people to practise dairy farming,” Ahmad said.

With ample opportunities available in the sector, more and more youngsters are venturing into it. One among them is Tahir Ahmad Rather from the Madar area of Bandipora, who started a dairy farm in 2020 with the help of the district’s Animal Husbandry Department. Today the young lad has eight cows that provide over 90-95 litres of milk daily.

Tahir’s father Bashir Ahmad Rather also manages the farm along with him and they distribute milk across Bandipora, thus catering to the milk requirements of the district’s population.

Narrating his venture’s success Tahir said, “I started this dairy farm in 2020 and it is helping me to earn my livelihood. I am grateful to Animal Husbandry Department, Bandipora who helped me to establish this unit.”

Tahir further said that he wants more youngsters to join this dairy sector as it is very beneficial.
“I want more youngsters to join this dairy sector as it is very beneficial. Moreover, nowadays there are not many people both in villages as well as in cities who are rearing cows, so if more dairy farms will be established, then it will highly beneficial and milk can be delivered to every home,” he added.

At his farm, Tahir has incorporated modern technology like automatic cow milking machines that save a lot of his time besides increasing productivity.

By associating with Tahir’s dairy farm, many other youngsters in the district are also getting benefited.
Suhail Ahmad, a milk distributor in Bandipora, said, “Though I have a wholesale business, still I got linked with this dairy farm and now I supply milk to local people as well in hotels in Bandipora district.”

Praising the young dairy farmer, he further added, “I am making good business by collaborating with his dairy farm. In the future too, I want to remain linked with this farm as both Tahir and his father Bashir Ahmad are maintaining it very well and I am also making a profit.”

In the success story of Tahir Ahmad Rather, Government schemes especially the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme have played a major role.

Along with Tahir, there are many more beneficiaries of the scheme in Bandipora, who have established their own dairy farms.

While praising Tahir, he further added that the young dairy farmer has become a role model for youngsters and is inspiring many to enter into entrepreneurship in the dairy and agriculture sector as it is profitable and will generate employment opportunities further contributing to the overall economic development of Bandipora district as well as the Union Territory.

(With ANI inputs)