The quintessential liquid gold

 Media is agog with the news that in Gujarat donkey milk of Halari breed is being priced as high as Rs. 7000/- a litre which has not only raised eyebrows but even made many heads turn towards what is thought a probable lucrative business interest.

Halari breed is specific of Saurashtra, Gujarat. The nodal agency National Bureau of Animal Genetics Resources ( NBAGR) had already recognised this breed and paved way for its  independent breeding. These  donkeys are mostly white in colour and look like a small horse. The milk of Halari breed donkey is believed to be full of antioxidants and other vital nutrients providing health benefits of unbelievable nature.

Milk essentially has been considered a ‘wholesome food’ since ages. There are numerous evidences on record to support this enamoured view. It is believed that a human being ( if not lactose intolerant) can survive only by consumption of milk. Not long back the news of an 80 year old farmer in Rajasthan fathering a child had taken the country by storm. He had credited his virility then solely to Camel milk that he had been consuming for decades. It is believed that the legendary American business tycoon John D Rockefeller at the end survived only by drinking milk as he would not digest anything else. Such is the power of milk.

The donkeys have hardly been considered a commercially viable alternative in the dairy industries in india. Donkeys are animals who respond well to human behaviour and follow the latter’s dictum. It is mainly used for various reasons the main being to carry load for farmers and nomads. The milk theory of Halari breed is now expected to be revolutionary. Further research is definitely on its way to unearth other hitherto unknown benefits of donkey milk especially of Halari breed. India’s milk production is around 19% of globally production. The contribution of milk industry in indian economy is sizeable and it definitely will get further filip if the nutritional and medicinal values of milk of Halari breed donkeys are channelled into the system to reach all and sundry. As of now only Saurashtra has a breeding ground for such donkeys. It is not yet evidenced whether breeding of Halari donkeys have taken place elsewhere in the country even though the National Research Centre for Equines has given a go ahead for a project in Hisar, Haryana where such breeding will take place.

As of now the news of Halari breed donkey milk,considered ‘liquid gold’ by many, has created a sensation mostly because of its extraordinary high price but the benefit should trickle down to all in future for its quality alone. A considered, time bound , dedicated and scientific steps towards that objective by all stakeholders is the need of the hour. Three cheers for donkeys though!!

( www.dprabir62.blogspot.com)