By 2030 our cows will produce GDP exceeding some 170 countries!

Our Prime Minister never misses a chance to puff up his chest about India’s “$ 5 Trillion” economy, though, truth be told, it’s still shy of the $4 trillion mark. We’re also frequently encouraged to give ourselves a hearty pat on the back for overtaking economies like Japan, UK, or Germany, or rivalling the world’s largest economy by 2047, or achieving parity with the United States by 2075. The only time we are reminded of the per-capita narrative is when it comes to stampedes and deaths at the Kumbh or during the COVID pandemic; suddenly: we’re reminded that, relative to our vast population, the number of deaths is minuscule.

Perhaps such proclamations, ignoring per capita statistics, are just distractions—shifting focus from real issues facing the nation to debates on Aurangzeb or Tipu Sultan’s deeds centuries ago.

The allure of ignoring per-capita stats is powerful. With sheer numbers in the hundreds of millions, we can even boast that our cows alone outproduce the GDP in excess of some 160 countries! Yes, that’s right.

Let’s chew some cud on numbers and make some udderly fascinating discoveries (if these lines were penned by our government, they may say with a straight face, that the puns here are unintended).

With a bovine population of about 193.5 million as per the 2019 Livestock Census, our country produces about 240 million tonnes of milk annually, valued at around ₹20,400 lakh crore (approximately $125 billion USD). Further, the cattle yield raw hide for the leather industry to the tune of another about $ 1 billion.

And then, there is another resource that’s often overlooked but is truly the cream of the crop: cow dung. Once the butt of jokes, this humble bull-sh*t of a by-product has proven to be a heavyweight in our rural economy. In agriculture, cow dung is the unsung hero, enriching soil fertility and structure. It’s the organic fertilizer of Mother Nature – a healthy alternative to chemical options.

Nor is cow dung just for crops; it’s also fuelling homes. Through biogas production, affectionately and patriotically known as “gobar gas,” cow dung transforms into methane, powering cooking, heating, and even electricity generation. Economically, cow dung itself is no small potatoes. In the fiscal year 2019-20, its gross value output surged by 6.8 per cent to ₹34,825.75 crore (approximately $4 billion USD). Clearly, this is one dung heap that’s paying dividends.

So, remember a cow is not just a milk ATM; it’s a cornerstone of our economy, contributing in ways that are both profound and, let’s admit, a bit amusing, assuming some humour is permitted in our discourse. Clearly, this is one dung heap that’s paying dividends.

Thus, the milk, raw-hide and dung accounts for an economy of a GDP of about $ 130 billion today.

At the current level of productivity of our bovine benefactors, their economic contribution at $ 130 billion probably surpasses that of nearly 160 countries. Yes, you herd (pardon the unintended pun again) right! According to recent data, about 92 countries have a GDP under $100 billion, and another 68 countries’ GDP fall between $100 billion and $130 billion. In Africa alone, 54 countries have GDPs under $100 billion. So, the next time you pass by a cow, tip your hat to this four-legged financier who’s giving entire nations a run for their money!

Of course, it is not as if we are resting on our bovine laurels idly masticating grass in the fields. For example, the Chhattisgarh government launched the “Godhan Nyay Yojana” in July 2020. This initiative aims to promote organic farming and generate employment by purchasing cow dung from farmers at ₹2 per kilogram. The procured dung is then transformed into vermicompost by women self-help groups and sold back to farmers as organic manure at ₹8 per kilogram, creating a circular economy that’s literally making money out of muck. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh has launched a comprehensive plan to promote natural farming with cow protection at its core, allocating Rs 2,000 crore in the recent budget for stray cattle protection.

If you think I am laying it thick over the cow-dung bit, don’t forget that several state governments are promoting natural farming, utilizing cow dung and urine, as testament to their keen agricultural prowess. Keep them busy making cow-dung cakes long enough, and they will not demand basic health, education, or tolerate bare and crumbling infrastructure like roads to walk on, overcrowded metros and abysmal public transport, chaotic traffic, clean air, clean water, or garbage- and sewer-free lanes, whether rural or urban. Also kept busy making cow-dung cakes, our women will keep their expectations low in life, and the nation’s demographic “dividend” of teeming millions will not pester the governments for employment.

Nor is that all. In certain regions, cow dung is mixed with mud and straw to create eco-friendly construction materials, forming what one might call “bovine bricks.” These materials offer insulation and durability, proving that when it comes to building, cow dung is the foundation of innovation.

So, next time you encounter a cattle, remember: they’re not just mooing; they’re making a moo-ving contribution to India’s economy. Of course, a more ambitious Chief Minister may milk this idea further to fully harness the power of cow dung and ensure an annual growth of 7 per cent per annum for milk and hide production, by 2030, and take the dung utilisation up from 15% to near 100 % over the next five years, and the cow-linked GDP could touch $ 200 billion, giving us the right to boast our bovine GDP exceeding that of some 170-180 countries. Moo-ving on up, indeed!

In short, when you bring in numbers approaching hundreds of millions or a billions, whether of humans or of heifers, funny things can happen! India could not only boast of exceeding the GDP of Japan, UK or Germany, but even its cows can boast of a GDP in excess of 160 countries. Now that would be something to moo about!