Dhiren Solanki, a resident of Gujarat’s Patan district, has found success in an unconventional business, as he sells donkey milk for living. Starting with just 20 donkeys and an investment of Rs 22 lakh, Solanki has built a business worth Crore. Due to the increasing demand for the product, today, the man owns 42 donkeys on his farm. Compared to the cow milk, which sells for Rs 65 per litre, Solanki claims that the donkey’s milk is sold for a whopping Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 per litre. To maintain its freshness, the milk is stored in freezers. But, his journey wasn’t without challenges. Initially, there was little demand for milk in Gujarat and Solanki struggled to make any profit for the first five months. He then decided to expand his reach in South India, where the demand for donkey milk was higher.
According to reports, Solanki now supplies his donkey milk in Karnataka and Kerala. His clients also include cosmetic companies, who use the milk for their products. Despite not receiving help from the state government, the man hopes to get more attention in the sector. Additionally, he has expanded his product by offering dried milk as powder, which can be sold for a lakh per kilogram. One of Solanki’s key strategies for success was setting up an online portal. This decision not only expanded his customer base but also enabled him to demand higher prices for his product. Interestingly, Solanki’s website suggests that the annual turnover of the company is between Rs 0.5 Crore to 2.5 Crore.
Speaking about his business, Dhiren Solanki said, “I found some private jobs, but the pay would barely cover my family expenses. Around this time, I came to know about donkey rearing in south India. I met some people and set up this farm in my village about 8 months back.”
As per the National Library of Medicine (NLM), “Donkey milk is believed to eliminate wrinkles from the skin of the face and make it softer and whiter. Some women are known to treat their cheeks seven times a day, paying close attention to this number. It was Poppea, wife of the Roman emperor Nero, who started this fashion, making use of it even for the baths and for this reason, she brought along herds of donkeys when she travelled.”
Donkey milk has made a comeback in recent years for human nutrition. It was popular during the ancient times to nourish newborns and it was even enjoyed by Egyptian queen Cleopatra. As per NLM, she was believed to bathe in donkey milk to maintain her beauty and skin glow. For the routine, Cleopatra reportedly required around 700 donkeys daily. Donkey milk also has medical benefits.
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