Constraints faced by the dairy farmers in production and marketing of milk in northern dry zone of Karnataka

Abstract

The present study investigated production and marketing related constraints of dairy farming practice in Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka. The study covered 240 sample households selected randomly from four districts of Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka. About 66 per cent of dairy farmers belongs to marginal (32.50%) and small (33.75%) category.  The study also revealed that the 93.75 per cent, 91.66 per cent and 87.91 per cent dairy farmers were facing high cost of feed and fodder, non-availability of quality feed round the year and susceptibility of crossbred animals to disease were the major production related problem, respectively. It was also noted that, the distant location of milk collection center (96%), low price of milk (92.50%), inadequate availability of regular market (91.25%), spoilage of milk due to poor hygiene and storage problem while carrying milk to procurement centre (83.33%) were the major constraints in marketing of milk. Thus efforts should be focused on making availability of quality feed round the year along with the improvement of marketing infrasture is win-win situation for development of dairy sector in the Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka.