Bhupalpally: Vanga Ramesh, a young man hailing from the village of Kompelly near here, has garnered applause in the local community for his remarkable success as a farmer, turning around his fortunes from being an educationist to a thriving entrepreneur in the dairy industry.
Ramesh, who holds a B.Sc degree and a Diploma in Education (D.Ed), started his journey as a correspondent of a school and an Intermediate college in Bhupalpally in 2009. Unfortunately, financial setbacks led to losses in his educational venture in 2015, compelling him to return to his native village with mounting debts to repay. Determined to find a way to repay his loans, Ramesh explored various opportunities. Recognizing the escalating demand for milk in the market, he hit upon the idea of setting up a dairy farm. In 2016, he took his first step towards this vision by purchasing three Murrah-breed buffaloes to start his dairy venture.
Overcoming financial challenges, Ramesh managed to secure a loan of Rs 3 lakh from a friend, while he pooled the rest of the required funds from self-help groups (SHGs). With five acres of land at his disposal, he also obtained a crop loan.
As the dairy business started to flourish, Ramesh expanded his livestock, purchasing an additional 12 buffaloes for Rs 12 lakh. Today, his dairy farm is home to 15 buffaloes, producing 50 litres of milk per day. He is supplying milk to the doorsteps of customers in Bhupalpally and surrounding localities. This success translates into earnings exceeding Rs 1 lakh per month, enabling him to repay his loans and attain financial stability.
“I am planning to purchase 20 cows to further expand my dairy,” Ramesh shared with ‘Telangana Today’. He acknowledges that dairy farming is no white-collar job like being a school correspondent, but his joy stems from the profitability it has brought him.
One of the key lessons he learned from his journey is to closely monitor the condition of the milch animals and respond promptly to any decrease in milk production. “We should not leave the dairy management in the midway. If needed, we need to purchase more livestock,” Ramesh said, stressing the importance of consistent care and attention to ensure success of the farm. Apart from managing his livestock, Ramesh is also growing cattle feed on two acres of his land and cultivating chillies on another two acres.