Two cows to Rs 50-crore dairy farm: How Ranjith scripted success story

Inspired by Malayala Manorama ‘Karshakasree’ magazine, college student H Ranjith Kumar developed a desire to start a dairy farm and make a living out of it, which was a surprise for his parents as well as everyone who knew him. Over the next 25 years, he continued to surprise them, by turning his dream into ‘ID Milk and Milk Products’, a multi-crore business based at Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram. Ranjith achieved success with hard work and determination. He also faced neglect and experienced painful situations on the way.

Currently, ID Milk sells 50,000 litres of milk and several milk products daily. Ranjith also owns the IDR brand, under which various other food products are sold.
“I felt a liking for dairy farming while a second-year degree student. At that time, there were two cows at home, which prompted me to consider the idea of becoming a dairy farmer. However, I needed the permission of my parents to realise the dream,” says Ranjith.

Being scared of his father, Ranjith did not take up the matter directly with him. Instead, he decided to prove to his father that he was capable of becoming a dairy farmer, and carried out all tasks related to the cows and also the work in the house. “One day, I overheard my father telling my mother that I would survive by doing any job. Then, I realised that my father recognised my capabilities and revealed my wish to him. Father did not object to my plan to engage in dairy farming. He also offered to support me in the venture,” says Ranjith.

He felt very happy. But, the happiness was short lived. Ranjith’s father, who went out after approving his idea, returned after an hour with a different opinion. He had met a few farmers in the area, who disapproved of Ranjith’s plan, by asking how an inexperienced youth could succeed in farming, when people like them, who had spent years in the field, could earn nothing.

Still, Ranjith was determined to pursue his dream. “I had a rift with my father after this incident. But, there was no looking back for me. Those days, ‘Karshakasree’ was my guide in rearing cows and growing grass to feed them. I diligently travelled to the area around Secretariat in the city to buy the magazine every month and learnt much from the articles and drew inspiration from the success stories of farmers,” he says.

From then on, Ranjith took up the responsibility of looking after the two cows in the house. He bought grass to feed the cows, and planted some of it on the house premises. Along with selling the milk of the cows, he started growing grass. Initially, he sold the milk to the nearby milk society, and later began supplying it directly to customers in packets. “My ambition was to develop a major brand,” says Ranjith.

However, Ranjith’s father continued his opposition and tried to change Ranjith’s mind. He also sent Ranjith to work as an accountant at a friend’s resort. “Even then, I continued to look after my cows. I also bought more cows, as the demand for milk increased. But, even though sales grew, my income remained almost the same, mainly because of my inexperience. I was also cheated when I purchased more cows. Some people sold cows having low yield of milk to me, claiming that they were of high-yielding variety,” says Ranjith.

During those difficult days, Ranjith received support from his mother, which was a big relief. While leading such a hard life, Ranjith won the award for the best grass farmer in Thiruvananthapuram district. “I had installed sprinklers in my field, as I engaged in growing grass all by myself. I cultivated grass in six-seven acres, and watering such a large area entirely with the sprinkler system was a novelty at that time, which earned me the award,” he says.

On the path of growth
Things gradually fell in place, as Ranjith gained experience. His venture, which started out with two cows, grew into a large dairy farm with around 300 cows. He also began purchasing milk from other farmers in the neighbourhood. The volume of milk sales also increased. “Earlier, I used to sell milk in sealed half-litre packets. When the quantity of milk sold increased and the area of the market expanded, it became tough to distribute fresh milk. So, I installed a 1,000-litre bulk milk cooler (BMC) and a better packing machine, spending around Rs six lakh. My next phase of marketing involved cooled milk. I also branded the milk I supplied, as many others were also distributing milk in packets. The name of my mother, Indira Devi, who always supported me, was chosen for branding, and ‘ID’ milk was born,” says Ranjith.

Soon, Ranjith started processing milk and currently sells a wide range – toned, double-toned, skimmed and standard milk. He also offers products such as curd, ‘paneer’, butter and sip-up. Ghee is also sold, but only online.

Wife’s support
Meanwhile, Ranjith married Sai Priyanka. “The wedding was arranged by a relative. Sai Priyanka belonged to a family of farmers and married me because she was interested in agriculture. Her arrival in my life was a big relief. The biggest advantage was that I could share my thoughts with another person. Till then, I had no friends, as I was always looking after the cows. Sai Priyanka began helping me in various tasks at the farm. My business literally took off from there. Now, while I focus on production and marketing, Sai Priyanka looks after the accounts,” says Ranjith.

Another brand
Ranjith achieved good sales of milk and milk products. However, he noticed that distributors were not earning much by selling these items, and started manufacturing other food products such as ‘dosa’ batter, ‘chapati’, ‘poori’, bread and snacks under ‘IDR’ brand to boost their income. He also cultivates plantain on six acres and uses ‘nendran’ banana from his farm to make chips. Products like baby food and ‘vazhapindi’ (banana pith) will be launched soon.

Ranjith says he could never enjoy his youth, which is the time of spring in a person’s life. “I dedicated all my time and efforts to cows and farming while young. But, had I tried to seek the pleasures of life during youth, I would never have built my company. When I spent my youth achieving my goals, I have now regained it with my success,” says Ranjith.

On one occasion, Ranjith sought help from his father during a financial crisis. His father replied, “I will never help you. You should succeed in a sector that you chose on your own only if you have merit.”

“Father said it because he might have been angry with me, felt dejected over me, or thought that I would abandon farming altogether. But, pondering over his words later, I realised that if my father had helped me financially at that time, I would never have succeeded in life. This is because, if my venture has to succeed, it is I who should put in the necessary efforts. If you receive help from somebody else, you will not try hard enough to succeed,” says Ranjith.
“Whichever profession you choose, success will follow, if you dedicate yourself entirely to it,” he adds.

On the lessons he learnt from dairy farming, Ranjith says, “When you feed a cow, milk it and sell the milk, your life also is spent in these efforts. But, do you get back the real value of these efforts? How can you receive this value? You can succeed in any profession only if you maintain these thoughts. However, most dairy farmers consider only the amount of milk they collect daily, and are unaware of its real value. When you specialise in any matter, a hundred more possibilities arise. But, few people try to identify and pursue those possibilities.”
Ranjith could be contacted on phone 9895714299.