Goa’s unemployment rate is way above the national average, according to this year’s Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) report.
The government receives thousands of applications for a single government post, and what’s even worse is that not only unskilled youth are unemployed, but there have been even skilled and highly educated youth that are running pillar to post to find gainful employment.
It’s a fact that Goa’s youth aspire to white collar jobs. If the trend was to be loosely interpreted, Hindu Goan youth give priority for government jobs while Catholic youth choose jobs on ships, in the hospitality industry, or trade in their Indian citizenship for foreign citizenship, for a better life.
Hardly any youth show interest in business, as it is a risky proposition. Even with the government providing various schemes and opportunities to promote farming, there are hardly any takers as the unpredictable nature of agriculture and livestock farming is a deterrent in itself.
Surendra Dessai from Cuncolim however is an inspiration to Goan youth. Dessai did not chase government jobs or choose to do menial work abroad, but instead, thought out of the box and created his own empire in milk production.
Surendra Dessai took up his ancestors’ profession of dairy farming. At a very young age, Dessai learnt to milk a cow and grew up amongst the earthy aromas of cow dung and gomutra. Today, Surendra is a successful dairy farmer, whose entire family is engaged in the lucrative occupation.
Dessai says he never thought of any profession other than milk production. Cuncolim was once known for agriculture and dairy farming, thanks to its vast, undeveloped and fertile swathes of land.
As a young man, Surendra Dessai acquired the skills of agriculture as well as dairy farming. “During those days, there was little scope for milk business. Goa Dairy did not exist, and I used to go house-to-house to sell fresh cow’s milk,” he says, recalling that some tea shops and restaurants also purchased milk from him, but with many conditions.
“It was a very difficult task to sell milk during those days, before Goa Dairy started. Very often, customers would complain about the quality of milk. It was difficult to manage the business because the cost of milk rate was also very low back then” says Dessai.
Once Goa Dairy started, dairy farming became a real business, that meant an actual source of income for farmers.Today, Dessai is the leading milk producer in Goa. He has personal customers and also sells to Goa Dairy.
“It’s wrong thinking that dairy farming is not a a respectable profession. In fact, one can enjoy a high standard of living with dairy farming as an occupation,” Said Dessai.
His whole family is engaged in this business and his wife and children support him in all his endeavors. His children do not shy away from admitting that they are engaged in dairy farming. While his daughters are highly qualified and have completed their postgraduate and law degrees, they do not hesitate to help their father in milk production.
Surendra Dessai owns more than seventy buffaloes and cows. His is a truly family-run enterprise, with all his family members engaged in milk extraction, milk distribution, cleaning, collecting cow dung for fertiliser and fuel, cleaning the animals and feeding them.
Surendra accepts that dairy farming is a demanding profession and does not give him the luxury of going out or travelling for pleasure. “It’s a pleasure to supply milk to people, as it is the perfect balanced diet, which gives good health and happiness to my customers,” he quips.
“Why are today’s youth running from pillar to post and begging for jobs? Take a step ahead to be self-sufficient and be a person that provides employment to others,” he advises young people.
