Multivariate Analysis of Consumption Pattern of Milk and Milk Products vis-à-vis Food Items Across Different Income Groups in Kamrup District of Assam

Author: Sweta Brahma, Biswajit Sen, Udita Chaudhary, Sanjit Maiti, Sangita Ganguly & Ajay Verma

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Abstract

The sample households were divided into three income groups based on monthly family income using the cumulative square root frequency approach. These groups were classified as low-income (up to ₹30,000), middle-income (₹30,001-₹80,555), and high-income (above ₹80,555). The majority of households (57.5 per cent) belonged to the middle-income group, followed by 38.5 per cent in the high-income group, and only 4 per cent in the low-income group. The analysis of Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) on milk and milk products across different income groups revealed that households in high income group (income > ₹80,555) exhibit the highest expenditure on liquid milk (₹619.36), ghee (₹45.56), butter (₹44.69), paneer (₹69.66), and sweets (₹181.32), indicating that higher income correlated with increased consumption of these items. Conversely, households in lower income group (income < ₹30,000) spend less on these products, with the lowest expenditure on ghee (₹4.97) and minimal expenditure on butter or ice cream. The analysis employed the Newey-West HAC method and Pooled OLS on expenditures on cereals, pulses, and fruits and vegetables as key positive predictors. Conversely, family size had a negative impact on MPCE, suggested that larger households tend to spend less per capita on dairy & dairy products. Age also showed a significant negative effect, with a coefficient of -5.133. Furthermore, the vegetarian dietary pattern notably elevated MPCE with a coefficient of 407.857, while self-employment status was positively associated with expenditure. The multivariate test results indicated significant differences in the consumption patterns of milk and milk products, as well as overall food products, across the dietary pattern groups. With a p-value of 0.001 for both the analyses, the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected, confirming that vegetarians and non-vegetarians exhibited distinct consumption patterns. Specifically, the applied tests demonstrated that dietary choices had a substantial impact on monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE), highlighted the varying priorities and preferences between the two groups in the study area

Keywords

MPCE, Newey-West HAC, Pooled OLS, KRLS

Conclusion

The households were divided as low-income, middle-income, and high-income based on monthly family income using the cumulative square root frequency approach. The majority of households belonged to the middle-income group, followed by the high-income group, and the low-income group. The analysis of Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) on milk and milk products across different income groups had revealed that households in high income exhibited the highest expenditure on liquid milk, ghee, butter, paneer, and sweets, indicated the higher income positively correlated with increased consumption of these items. Conversely, households in lower income group spend less on these products, with the lowest expenditure on ghee and minimal expenditure on butter or ice cream. Higher-income households generally spend more, on the liquid milk and Powder milk expenditure. More interestingly, curd expenditure peaked in middle income group while spending on ghee and butter was higher in high income group. The expenditures on cereals, pulses, and fruits and vegetables were the key positive predictors pointed out by the Newey-West HAC method and Pooled OLS analysis. Conversely, family size had a negative impact on MPCE, suggested that larger households tend to spend less per capita on dairy & dairy products. Age also showed a significant negative effect, the vegetarian dietary pattern notably elevated MPCE, while self-employment status was positively associated with expenditure

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How to cite this article

Sweta Brahma, Biswajit Sen, Udita Chaudhary, Sanjit Maiti, Sangita Ganguly & Ajay Verma (2024). Multivariate Analysis of Consumption Pattern of Milk and Milk Products vis-à-vis Food Items Across Different Income Groups in Kamrup District of Assam. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 16(11): 75-80