Field notes

India's new breed of dairy farmers

Enterprising Indians answering demand for safer food churn out quality milk at premium prices

The O'Leche dairy farm in Bulandshahr, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, has a herd of about 280 cows that are fed green fodder grown on land leased by the owners. The farm supplies 3,000 litres of milk daily from its current herd to 2,000 consumers.
The O'Leche dairy farm in Bulandshahr, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, has a herd of about 280 cows that are fed green fodder grown on land leased by the owners. The farm supplies 3,000 litres of milk daily from its current herd to 2,000 consumers. ST PHOTO: NIRMALA GANAPATHY
A farmhand shows visitors to a farm run by Akshayakalpa Farms and Food in Tiptur district, Karnataka, the organic feed grown by the farm for its cows.
A farmhand shows visitors to a farm run by Akshayakalpa Farms and Food in Tiptur district, Karnataka, the organic feed grown by the farm for its cows. PHOTO: SHASHI KUMAR/AKSHAYAKALPA FARMS AND FOOD
Mr Vaibhav Agarwal set up O'Leche farm with his brother Chirag in 2014 after failing to find good-quality milk for his daughter.
Mr Vaibhav Agarwal set up O'Leche farm with his brother Chirag in 2014 after failing to find good-quality milk for his daughter. ST PHOTO: NIRMALA GANAPATHY
Nirmala Ganapathy India Bureau Chief In New Delhi
Updated
Dec 22, 2018, 07:08 AM
Published
Dec 22, 2018, 05:00 AM
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Thirty-four-year-old Mr Vaibhav Agarwal, who runs O'Leche dairy farm, does not look like a typical Indian dairy farmer.

Wearing blue jeans, a blue sweatshirt and sneakers, the business graduate casually strolls around his 3.6ha farm in Bulandshahr, in the central state of Uttar Pradesh.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 22, 2018, with the headline India's new breed of dairy farmers. Subscribe

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