PROBLEMS OF MILK PRODUCER IN BUDALUR BLOCK OF THANJAVUR DISTRICT OF TAMILNADU

Transcription

1 PROBLEMS OF MILK PRODUCER IN BUDALUR BLOCK OF THANJAVUR DISTRICT OF TAMILNADU Dr. P. JAYAKUMAR Assistant Professor in Economics, Department of Economics, St. Joseph s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli. ABSTRACT Dairying is part of agriculture, it is far more profitable than any other part of agriculture. In fact, it is more prosperous to be a dairy farmer instead of just being an agriculturist. The cow eats what is wasted in the field and converts the same as a value added product in the form of milk. Dairying has vast potential to generate employment and has helped in alleviating poverty in rural belt. Dairying provides definite and regular income and employment to millions of rural families throughout the year, improving the quality of their life. There are several problems associated with this procurement and supply model. The only points in the chain where refrigeration are used are at the Bulk Milk Cooling Centres and the processing plant. This lack of a proper cold chain is the single biggest problem and causes spoilage to the tune of one per cent to three per cent annually to the cooperatives, directly impacting farmer incomes. The dairy farmers are hit hard by the rising prices of all commodities that has affected both directly and indirectly tinkering with the prices of raw materials needed for milk production like cattle feed, fodder, oil cakes and husk corresponding with the rise in prices of food grain and other food materials. Introduction India ranks first in milk production, accounting for 18.5 per cent of world production, achieving an annual output of million tones during as compared to million tonnes during recording a growth of 6.26 per cent. The per capita availability of milk in India has increased from 176 grams per day in to 322 grams per day by It is more than the world average of 294 grams per day during This represents a sustained growth in availability of milk and milk products for the growing population Dairying has become an important secondary source of income for millions of rural households engaged in agriculture. The success of the dairy industry has resulted from the integrated co-operative system of milk collection, transportation, processing and distribution, conversion of the same to milk powder and products, to minimize seasonal impact on suppliers and buyers, retail distribution of milk and milk products, sharing of profits with the farmer, which are ploughed back to enhance productivity and needs to be emulated by other farm produce/producers. Indian Dairy sector has made remarkable progress over the last few decades. The Cooperative movement, especially Operation Flood, has been an important driver of this progress and has played an important role in facilitating the participation of small holders in this expanding sector. Despite three decades of co-operative movement in India, however, a large proportion of milk and milk products in India continues to be marketed through the informal or unorganized sector. Although the share of organized markets has steadily increased over the last three decades, the informal sector comprising middlemen, private milk traders and direct sale from producer to consumer, still accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the marketed milk and milk products in the country. Trends indicate that, the informal sector will continue to play its dominant role in milk marketing in the foreseeable future icmrrjournal@gmail.com

2 Need for the study A majority of the small farmers in India, who do not have good land for agriculture, depend on dairy for supplementary income. Therefore, promotion of dairy sector with cattle and buffalo can generate employment for small farmers throughout the year. Fortunately, India has the largest population of livestock in the world and with the increasing demand for livestock produce, while in the milk production was million tonnes, the demand in the year 2022 is likely to rise to 180 million tonnes. This will provide greater opportunity to small farmers to expand their dairy sector. Statement of the problem Drought conditions in Tami Nadu is rising scarcity of fodder have begun to affect milk production, forcing both the state-owned as well as private dairies look at alternatives, including procuring milk from neighbouring states. Keeping in view the rising fuel and freight costs and the pressure on profit margins, the dairies are now weighing options to go for an increase in the selling prices of liquid milk. Back-to-back droughts have led to at least 10 per cent fall in milk procurement over the past few weeks. "Milk procurement normally falls during the lean summer season. There are several problems associated with this procurement and supply model. The only points in the chain where refrigeration are used are at the Bulk Milk Cooling Centres and the processing plant. This lack of a proper cold chain is the single biggest problem and causes spoilage to the tune of one per cent to three per cent annually to the cooperatives, directly impacting farmer incomes. The dairy farmers are hit hard by the rising prices of all commodities that has affected both directly and indirectly tinkering with the prices of raw materials needed for milk production like cattle feed, fodder, oil cakes and husk corresponding with the rise in prices of food grain and other food materials. Objective 1. To identify the problems faced by the milk producers Methodology In order to study the problems faced by the milk producers, the study was conducted in Thanjavur District of Budalur Block. The study area was purposefully selected by the researcher due to the following reasons: Agricultural based area, Animal Intensity Rearing habit and livelihood pattern and Employment opportunity. The above facts are presented based on the pilot survey conducted by the researcher. The researcher felt that Budalur Block is viable and potential one to conduct so meaningful and systematic study for dairy Industry. There are three veterinary dispensaries of which three zones have been identified viz., Thirukkattupalli, Budalur and Sengipatti. In Thirukkattupalli dispensary controlled villages are 33, in Budalur dispensary controlled villages are 11 and in Sengipatti dispensary controlled villages are nine. From each category of villages 100 respondents have been chosen using simple random method. In this way, a total of 300 respondents (milk producer) have been chosen by using stratified simple random sampling technique Problems of milk producers There are many problems encountered by the milk producers in marketing of milk through different channels of distribution are categorized as follows: 1. Market related problems 2. Distance related problems 3. Delivery related problems 4. Feed related problems 5. Finance related problems 6. Milk-man related problems 7. Maintenance related problems 8. Marketing problems caused by milk vendors 42 icmrrjournal@gmail.com

3 TABLE NO: 1 DOCTORS ATTENDED THE RESPONDENTS PLACE Frequency Percentage Yes No Total Source: Primary data The table 1 represents the veterinary doctors treatment given to the animals on time per cent of the respondents have expressed that the doctors have come and gave treatment to the animal on time. And 41.7 per cent of the respondents revealed that the doctors did not give treatment for the animals in emergency situation. From this analysis it is concluded that the respondents faced doctor s treatment problem on time. TABLE NO: 2 DISTANCE BETWEEN RESPONDENTS HOUSE AND THE VETERINARY DISPENSARY Distance (in Kilo Meters) Frequency Percentage and above Total Source: Primary data The above table 2 explains the distance between the respondents house and veterinary dispensary per cent of the respondents have the distance between respondents place and veterinary dispensary as 5-6 kilo meters which is higher and 5.3 per cent of the respondents have the distance between respondents place and dispensary as 1-2 kilo meters which is lower. From this analysis the researcher observes that the veterinary dispensary is located in the long distance. And there is no private hospital and dispensary in the study area. TABLE NO: 3 PROBLEMS FACED BY THE RESPONDENTS Problems Frequency Percentage Valid Cumulative Percentage Percentage Loan Grazing Land Dispensary Marketing Storage Fodder Total Source: Primary data 43 icmrrjournal@gmail.com

4 The table 3 reveals that the respondents faced the problems viz. to get loan from the bank, problem of grazing land, problem of long distance dispensary, marketing problems, storage problems and fodder problems. The table gives that 32.7 per cent of the respondents faced the fodder problem of green fodder, dry fodder and particularly paddy straw. 6.0 per cent of the respondents faced the grassing land problems for their animals. The table also gives that 27.3 per cent of the respondents have the marketing problem and 13.3 per cent have storage problem due to lack of milk cooperative society (AAVIN) and common storage facilities in this study area. The study shows the veterinary dispensary and hospital problems. It focuses that there is no private hospital and dispensary in this study area. The study explains that the respondents faced the credit (loan) problem and could not get from the bank. The foregoing analysis shows that the respondents faced the fodder problem which is higher due to the mechanization of agriculture so the respondents could not get the paddy straw. The grazing land is decreasing due to the government free land distribution scheme Diagram 1 Problems faced by the Respondents Percentage Loan Grazing Land Dispensary Marketing Storage Fodder Problems Loan Grazing Land Dispensary Marketing Storage Fodder 44 icmrrjournal@gmail.com

5 Suggestions The following suggestions are to be provided for the development of the Dairy Sector in the study area: (1) Adequate Veterinary Services: The veterinary facilities available in the study area are not adequate and sufficient. Steps should be taken to provide adequate and proper veterinary facilities in the study area. (2) Proper Training Facilities: There is good potentials for developing small scale industries for manufacturing indigenous milk products in the study area. There is need to educate and assist the dairy farmers in respect of breeding, feeding, animal management technique and marketing of milk and milk products. (3) Infrastructure Development: Some infrastructural development like road communication is needed for transportation of fodder, feed concentrates, veterinary services and medicines and transportation of milk to the consuming centres. (4) Credit Facilities: The financial institutions can also play a significant role in improving the processing infrastructure by extending credit to good working SHGs and milk producing units. (5) Marketing Infrastructure: Establishment of organized marketing networks of market is necessary so that the dairy farmers get the remunerative return for their produce. (6) Artificial Insemination: The State Veterinary Department should create facility for Artificial Insemination and pregnancy test at the door step of the dairy farmers. Conclusion The disparity in dairy sector persists with respect to other indicators of dairy development, such as, proportion of crossbreed population, breeding, feeding and marketing facilities for dairy as well. The growth of milk production is important not merely to improve milk availability, but for improving the livelihood status for the bulk of rural poor in this state. The main objective of dairy development is to improve the milch cattle, to provide remunerative price to milk, improvement of the socio-economic conditions of the milk producers, to maintain an effective supply system of the milk and milk products at reasonable price for the consumers. References Dhanabalan. M. (2009), Productive Efficiency of Milk Production In Tamil Nadu, Indian Journal of Marketing, Volume XXXIX, Number 12, P.21. Dhingra I.C. (2010), The Indian Economy, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi, p.287. Edward V. Jesse, William D. Dobson, Norman F. Olson and Vijay P. Sharma (2006) The Dairy Sector of India: A Country Study Discussion Papers from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and Development. Downloaded by (application/pdf). Gopal Lal Jain (1997), Rural Development, Mangal Deep Publications, Jaipur, Pp Hemme.T., Garcia.O. and Khan.A.R. (2002) A Review of Milk Production in Bangladesh with Particular Emphasis on Small-scale Producers, Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative (PPLPI), Islam. S., Goswami. A. and Mazumdar. D. (2008), Comparative Profitability of Cross Breed and Indigenous Cattle in West Bengal Indian Res. J. Ext. Edu, Vol. 8(1), Pp icmrrjournal@gmail.com

6 Mandeep Singh and Joshi. A.S. (2008), Economic Analysis of Crop Production and Dairy Farming on Marginal and Small Farms in Punjab Agricultural Economics Research Review, Vol. 21, Issue: 2, P-30. Sintayehu Yigrem, et al. (2008), Dairy production, processing and marketing systems of Shashemene - Dilla area, South Ethiopia abstract of the project on Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) of Ethiopian farmers project, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia icmrrjournal@gmail.com