Private sector dairying in Kerala: a socio-economic analysis with special reference to Ernakulam District

Abstract

The present work entitled PRIVATE SECTOR DAIRYING IN KERALA: A SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ERNAKULAM DT. is an attempt to evaluate the performance of private sector dairy units function in the District. The main part of the work is devoted to find out the impact of private sector dairy units directly upon the beneficiaries and to the society at large. The study reveals that the private sector dairy units are instrumental in increasing the income of beneficiaries, improving their health status, making a reduction in medical expenses, promoting saving habit among beneficiaries, facilitating the repayment of their loans, providing employment opportunities and imparting advancement in the sociocultural field. The private sector dairy units also help to possess certain financial assets and some consumer durables to the beneficiaries. It is concluded from the study that future of dairying is highly depending upon evolving a system of correlating the prices of inputs with that of milk. Private sector dairy units help to alleviate rural poverty to a great extent. For a better prospects dairying should be combined with farming because they are complementary in nature. It is found that possession of quality crossbred animals will give more income to the dairy farmer than local breeds. Based on the findings of the study some recommendations are presented by the researcher. They include the need of publicity regarding the advantages of milk consumption, the aspect of product diversification to have better profit margin, the new mode of packing the product to capitalize on sight purchase , the need of promoting savings schemes like Nithyanidhi among dairy farmers, the inclusion of dairy farming technology in the curriculum of secondary education, the need of popularising the gober gas plant system as a solution to the scarcity of cooking gas in the state, and the need of de-politicization of the dairy sanghams.