Donkey – When we hear the name, we think of the animal that can be used to carry broken bones and carry heavy loads. Donkeys give milk and that milk can be sold, who comes to mind?
But Dhiren Solanki, a young man from Gujarat, India, is different. He built a farm in his village with 42 donkeys. He is earning 2 to 3 lakh rupees per month by selling donkey milk produced in this farm. The milk from his farm goes mainly to the southern states of the country. He sells donkey milk for Rs 5,000 to 7,000 per liter. Where a liter of cow’s milk costs only 65 rupees.
Dhiren Solanki tells how the establishment of donkey farms and the sale of their milk started. He said, “I was looking for a government job. I also got some private jobs. But it became difficult to run my family on the salary from there. I learned about donkey rearing in South India. I met some people and established the farm 8 months ago. I started the farm with 20 donkeys at a cost of Rs 22 lakh.” He added, “The beginning was tough. There is no demand for donkey milk in Gujarat. I had no income for the first five months.”
This young man said that later he contacted companies in the southern region. Currently he is supplying donkey milk to Karnataka and Kerala. And his buyer is a cosmetics company. These companies use donkey milk in their cosmetics.
Donkey milk is stored in the freezer to keep it fresh. The milk is first dried and then converted into powder. A liter of donkey milk powder costs Rs 1 lakh.
Benefits of Donkey Milk
Donkey milk was used a lot in ancient times. Some say that Queen Cleopatra of Egypt used to bathe in donkey’s milk. Greek physician Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, recommended donkey milk for various problems, including liver.
Despite the various benefits of donkey milk, its consumption has declined in the modern world. However, in recent times, scientists have again started working with this milk. But due to the high price, common people are not interested in donkey milk. According to scientists, the structure of donkey milk is very similar to human milk. As a result, it can be fed to young children as an alternative to cow’s milk. Especially those who are allergic to cow’s milk. Donkey milk is also beneficial for immunity and diabetes.
