Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Author(s):
AV Agarkar, DT Undratwad, VG Atkare and Bhavana R Wankhade

Abstract:
The present study entitled “Challenges faced by rural dairy farmers in milk processing and milk products manufacturing” was carried in Shirur tahsil of Pune district of Maharashtra state. Total 200 dairy farmers were selected from 25 villages of Shirur Tahsil by using random sampling method. Data were collected by personally interviewing the dairy farmers with the help of well-structured pretested interview schedule. Primary data collected by interview of rural dairy farmers and questionnaire, secondary data collected from books, internet, research papers etc. and data were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. The results of the study revealed that major economical constraints 100% farmers faced the constraint low price for milk offered, while 91% farmers faced constraint high cost of modern machines and equipment, regarding marketing constraints, 100% dairy farmers faced constraint advertisement of owned milk products as major constraints and 91% dairy farmers faced constraint irregular advanced payment followed by 89% dairy farmers expressed constraint inadequate marketing intelligence. In technical constraints 73% of the dairy farmers had encountered constraint lack of scientific knowledge about milk processing and milk products manufacturing and 61% of the dairy farmers expressed constraints about lack of technical guidance. In socio-psychological constraints lack of co-operation and co-ordination 89% major socio-psychological constraints mentioned by the farmers, followed by 76% dairy farmers encountered constraint lack of training and information source. In communicational constraints majority i.e. 85% dairy farmers faced the constraint regarding inadequate access to training programme followed by 79% of the dairy farmers encountered constraint low social mobility of dairy farmers. In infrastructural constraints lack of quality testing facilities 92% major infrastructural constraints mentioned by the farmers, followed by 86% of dairy farmers encountered constraints lack of training facilities and 83% of dairy farmers mentioned the constraints lack of skill labour availability, while 68% of dairy farmers mentioned the constraints lack of chilling facilities while, 93% of dairy farmers encountered the constraints weak supply of milk chain. Hence, for overall development of milk processing in this area it is inferred that there is need to provide training, guidance, knowledge and loan facility to rural dairy farmers, so as to increase the rural dairy farmers count in milk processing and milk products manufacturing in study area.