Institutional Level Policy Initiatives on Crisis Management during Pandemic Situation in Dairy Sector

Author: Bimal P. Bashir, R. Senthilkumar and Anjali K. Babu

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Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has affected not only the health but also had paralysed most of the economic and social life of people. Since, dairy sector is not an exception to this phenomena, a comprehensive study on the effect of COVID-19 on the lives of dairy farmers of Wayanad district were conducted under State Plan Research Project 2021-2022. Based on the milk production data from secondary sources, two milk producing Dairy Milk Co-operative societies were selected from three taluks of Wayanad District namely, Vythiri, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady. From each Dairy Milk Co-operative societies fifteen dairy farmers were randomly selected for the final study. Thus through multi-stage random sampling ninety dairy farmers were selected for the study. The study revealed that the major constraints faced by dairy farmers during COVID-19 pandemic period were regarding the marketing and transportation of milk, utilization of unsold excess milk, shortage of skilled labours which includes, milkers, labours involved in fodder crops etc., shortage of good quality fodder, feed and supplements. The result revealed that dairy farmers enrolled under well-established Dairy Milk Co-operative Societies were more satisfied with the benefit received from the society than that with smaller DCS units. Well established Dairy Milk Cooperative Societies (DCS), with huge milk turnover and having more than 2000 membership enrollment were able to support their members effectively when compared to smaller ones. The office bearers of dairy cooperative societies opined that institutional level support such as milk transportation facilities, need to be organized at government institutional level. Encouragement must be given for potential farmer level outlets for milk and milk products. For this Kudumbasrees, PRI institutions etc. must be utilized. Moreover, value addition of milk under theses outlets can also be encouraged. Dairy farmers and cooperative unions were able to sell milk to First Line Treatment Centres (FLTCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Setting up of local level “Livestock army” which would be helpful for dairy farmers to get technically sound labour during acute shortage of labour (pandemic or any natural disaster period). Skilled labour which includes milking, fodder field management, farm intensive labour need to be initiated under “livestock army” scheme. Another constraint emphasized by dairy farmers were the difficulty in managing the herd when the whole family got infected /quarantined with COVID-19. So, an emergency, shelter in the form of “goshala” like facility could be established during pandemic period as well as during any natural calamities or extreme weather situations.

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic, dairy sector, Wayanad, constraints, Marketing

Conclusion

COVID-19 pandemic period trigger the shift from consumption of household milk sale to packed milk and milk product. It also had an impact on opening up online market for dairy product as well. Some of the feeding practice followed during COVID-19 pandemic period were altered the composition of concentrate feeding, utilize buffer stock of feed, increase utilization of alternative feed resources such as beverage waste, banana leaves etc. Disease management practices followed during COVID-19 pandemic period was through consulting veterinary doctors through telephone. Marketing practices followed during COVID-19 pandemic period were direct selling of milk, preparation of valued added dairy products like curd, paneer etc., alter the location of milk selling place. It was suggested that procurement of milk by public and private dairy plants should be increased and the same should be utilized to produce dairy products having comparatively longer shelf life like butter, ghee, skim milk powder etc. Despite many problems faced by the co-operative sector during the lockdown, it acted as a buffer and protected the dairy food supply chain from the free market and price fluctuation of milk during COVID-19 pandemic period.

References

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How to cite this article

Bimal P. Bashir, R. Senthilkumar and Anjali K. Babu (2023). Institutional Level Policy Initiatives on Crisis Management during Pandemic Situation in Dairy sector. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(5a): 558-562.