Deep Kumar Rai of Shyamshila-1, Bhojpur has become an example that hard work can grow gold even in your own soil. After returning from foreign employment a few years ago, he started a dairy industry and has made it a good source of income. The chhurpi business he produces from this dairy is earning millions of rupees annually.

Rai collects 400 liters of milk daily through the Chhintalung Dairy Industry and produces chhurpi from it.  He sends chhurpi worth about Rs 5m abroad annually and has been producing about 400 to 500 kilograms of chhurpi monthly.

He sells quality chhurpi produced in the dairy for up to Rs 1,150 per kilogram. Rai said that there is no problem in collecting milk after the rural municipality targeted farmers and distributed cows under subsidy in Pauwadung. He said, “There was a problem in transporting the milk produced by farmers to the district headquarters. After the industry was established here, it has become easier for farmers to sell. I go to their homes and collect milk.” Rai has been selling chhurpi along with ghee for Rs 750 per kg and kharuva ghee for Rs 1,000.

Farmers in the Shyamshila area had been facing the problem of lack of market even though they have been engaged in commercial animal husbandry for the past years. But now, Ward Chairperson Rajendra Tamang said that the market system has become much easier. He said, “Earlier, there was a problem with the market, there were no convenient roads to transport goods from villages, there were no vehicles, now that problem is no more, compared to before, it has become easier to deliver milk products not only to the district headquarters but also to external markets.”

The rural municipality chairperson Kiran Rai said that the ‘Milk Mission Program’ has been launched to make the rural municipality self-reliant in milk. He informed that improved breed cows and buffaloes have been provided as grants in areas suitable for animal husbandry. “We have been providing 50 percent grant support to farmers who want to raise animals,” said Kiran, “Farmers have started earning good income from milk sales. This incentive program has connected farmers to income generation.”

The rural municipality had distributed 13 improved breed buffaloes last year to provide nutrition and income to the locals. The rural municipality has stated that improved breed cows are being distributed again since the last fiscal year.