MSc

Kerala currently represents the twelfth largest dairy market in India. The share of
livestock in Gross State Value Added (GSVA) from the agriculture sector in Kerala is
above 27 percent. The livestock population in Kerala was 38.36 lakh in the year 2020
(Economic Review Report, 2020). Dairy co-operatives are functioning to support dairy
farmers in the processing and selling of milk and milk products. The common need of
milk producers is to obtain a fair price for their milk and this is fulfilled through
collective marketing. Milk is considered to be one of the most sensitive products under
agriculture and allied sector, requiring special and timely care and this can be provided
through the collective operation of dairy co-operative societies.
The present study was undertaken with the following objectives viz., to analyze
the performance of selected dairy co-operatives, to evaluate the services rendered by the
selected dairy co-operatives, to assess the extent of utilization of services by the member
farmers, to assess the role of selected dairy co-operatives in the empowerment of
member farmers, and to study the problems faced by the dairy farmers. The sample size
consists of 256 (Active members-200, BOD-36, Employees 20) were selected from four
dairy co-operative societies from Palakkad district namely, Moolathara Ksheerolpadaka
Sahakarana Sangam Ltd. No. P 65 (D), Kunnamkattupathy Ksheerolpadaka Sahakarana
Sangam Ltd. No. P 126 (D), Menonpara Ksheerolpadaka Sahakarana Sangam Ltd. No.
P 281 (D) and Attappadi Ksheerolpadaka Sahakarana Sangam Ltd. No. P 558 (D).
The performance of selected dairy co-operatives was analyzed through the
variables namely farmer member participation, financial indicators, structural factors,
managerial factors, legal, political factors, technological factors, functional factors,
human resource factors, and co-operative governance. The percentages and index
methods with graphical representations were used for the study. The membership was
more in Moolathara DCS and less in Menonpara DCS. The milk procurement and milk
supply were more in Moolathara DCS and less in Attappadi DCS. The local milk sale
was more in Menonpara DCS and less in Moolathara DCS. The farmer participation
levels in dairy co-operatives were higher among the respondents. The financial
indicators, structural factors, managerial factors, legal, political factors, technological
factors, functional factors, human resource factors, and co-operative governance also
showed a positive result in the study. But, the absence of trained Artificial Insemination
(AI) and Veterinary First Aid (VFA) workers was the major problem faced by the dairy
farmers in the dairy co-operative societies.
The services offered by the selected dairy co-operative societies were evaluated
by using the index method and percentage methods. The offered schemes and services
are grouped into production enhancement services, Flood and COVID-19 related
services, and dairy farmer welfare board services. Out of these schemes, the level of
utilization was more for production enhancement services compared to other schemes.
The participated dairy farmers opined positively for the effectiveness of schemes and
services by the dairy co-operatives.
The empowerment of dairy farmers was analyzed by using the index method. The
different types of empowerments studied were social empowerment, Economic
empowerment, Psychological empowerment, and Political empowerment. The opinion
towards all types of empowerments except political empowerment was higher. The
political empowerment level was marked as low. It indicates less political empowerment
through the dairy co-operatives.
The problems related to milk production, procurement, the impact of flood and
covid-19 in dairying, and constraints in availing services and schemes were examined
by using the index method. The climatic variation has highly affected the quantity of
milk production. The non-availability of labor and Lack of sufficient veterinary services
is the major problem faced by dairy farmers. The flood of 2018, 2019 didn’t affect the
dairy farmers. But COVID-19 lockdown affected milk transportation to DCS and it
affected the quantity of milk procured by the dairy co-operative society. It finally leads
to a decrease in profit from the sale of milk.
The study can be concluded that the performance of the dairy co-operatives shows
strong farmer member participation, financial, structural, managerial, legal, political,
technological, functional, and human resource factors, and co-operative governance in
the dairy sector. All the services rendered by the co-operative societies were utilized by
the farmers based on their requirements. By providing the services by the dairy cooperatives, they assured the economic, social, psychological empowerment except for
political empowerment. Still, the farmers were facing the problems in dairying like the
absence of trained Artificial insemination and Veterinary First Aid worker to provide
veterinary services, Climatic problems, and scarcity of labour.
The recommendation of the study includes the appointment of trained Artificial
insemination and Veterinary First Aid worker to provide veterinary services, the
conduct of awareness program for the dairy farmers related to the health problems faced
by the cattle, and also conduct of awareness classes for attracting youth towards dairy
farming and create labour groups by the dairy co-operatives to solve the problem of
scarcity of labours.