Social Change 2004 Chaudhary 53 63

53-63
Social Change : September 2004 : Vol. 34 No. 3
Dairy cooperative societies - Perceptions of milk

producer members
H. Chaudhary"
J.S. Panwar**
Data collected from milk producing members of 20 dairy cooperative

societies in eastern Rajasthan reveal various bottlenecks in the
functioning of these societies. Timings of supply of milk by the
producers mainly affected women cooperative members, who ranked
this as their main infrastructural concern; it meant they had to get
up early in the morning on cold winter days to milk cows. The male
members interviewed cited irregular and inadequate supply of cattle
feed, non-availability of emergency veterinary services, a n d
infrequent visits of veterinary staff - tasks for which males took
responsibility - as the prime infrastructural problems. Delay in
payments and irregular bonus disbursement were the economic
constraints ranked high by both male and female members, as was
the poor conception rate in buffalo, which was cited as the top ranking
technical constraint by both male and female respondents. On sociopsychological constraints, the prominent issues were perceived to
be infrequent meetings of the society, and the perception that the
cooperative was meant for influential people. Manipulation of testing
of the fat content of milk and malpractices from the society to the
chilling centre were the top ranking marketing constraints a s
encountered by male and female milk producer members.
The contribution of the livestock sector to GDP in India agriculture went
up from 22.85% in 1970 to 24.59% in 1999 and the compound growth
rate of milk production 1970 to 1999 was 4.5% per annum. The country
is now the largest producer of milk in the world. Not only that, demand
*
Research Scholar, Department of Extension Education, RCA, Udaipur. Residence :

Village & Post : Kishanpura, Via Badhal, Distt. Jnipur - 303602.
Professor and Ex-Director, Directorate of Extensiqn E&xation. Maharana Pratap

University o f Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur - 3 13001.
Downloaded from sch.sagepub.com at INDIAN INST MGMNT BANGALORE on October 16, 2016
54
Social Chaige : September 2004
for milk products is projected to increase at 7% per annum over the coming
two decades, making the total demand for milk 170 million tons for the
projected population in 2020. It is in this context that we report here on
the functions of milk cooperatives.
Cooperatives are an organisational feature of the community and farm life
in India and are as old as the village community itself. Our study deals
with 20 dairy cooperative societies linked to the Rajasthan Cooperative
Dairy Federation (RDFC) co-operative structure in India - a vertically
integrated single industry co-operative that links rural producer with the
urban consumer by an intensive milk production model based on improved
technology and marketing. Despite the success of the cooperative,
however, the milk producer members of dairy co-operative societies still
face numerous constraints.
Methodology
Our study was conducted in 2001 in Jaipur and Dausa districts in the
operational area of Jaipur Zila Dugdh UtpadakSahakari Sangh Ltd., Jaipur
(Jaipur Dairy), which is located in the central eastern part of Rajasthan.2
Of the total milk procuring route^,^ ten milk routes were purposively
selected cn the basis of maximum procurement of milk. Two milk cooperative societies (one male and female society) from each identified
route were selected randomly on the basis of maximum milk procurement.
Thus, a total of 20 societies were selected. 12 milk producer members
were randomly selected from each dairy co-operative society. Thus, a
total of 240 milk producers (120 male and 120 female) were selected by
1
Indian Dairyman. 2000. 2 5 - 3 7 .
Dairy cooperatives in India replicate the Anand type cooperative structure which
links producers with urban consumers by introducing intensive milk production model,
improved technology and marketing. The Anand Model has come to mean a three
tiered organisational structure linking primary producer societies responsible for
procurement to district cooperative unions engaged in processing and manufacture.
At the State level, district unions are grouped t o a federation charged with the
coordination of functions. In 1986, an all India federation of State federations was
established. The National Cooperative Dairy Federation (NCDF) was added to this
structure for purposes of policy coordination at the national level.
Milk procured at all the dairy cooperative societies is transported to the chilling dairy
plant of t h e cooperative. The cooperative hires vehicles (milk vans) for
transportation. The vehicles collect milk along a convenient route, which is known as
a milk collection or procuring route. Milk routes are identified for management
purposes, supervision, milk-collection. veterinary supplies etc. The Jaipur Dairy consists
of 36 milk routes.
55
Social Change : September 2004
simple random sampling. Data were collected by an investigator4 through

the personal interview method with the help of structured schedules.
Thereafter, the data were tabulated, analysed and interpretations made.
Results and discussion

The constraints faced by milk producer members of dairy co-operative
societies were categorised as infrastructural, technical, sociopsychological, economic and marketing.
(a) Infrastructural Constraints

Unsuitability of timings for the supply of milk emerged as the top ranking
institutional constraint, cited by 7 1.25% of the members of the milk
producer societies. It meant that milking had to be done in the early hours
of the day, and the winter cold braved. Non-availability of emergency
veterinary services ranked second (the MPS - Mean Percent Score was
7 1.25%), followed by non-availability of green fodder throughout the year,
ranked third, with 67.22% of the respondents citing it. Irregular and
inadequate supply of cattle feed and distance from home to DCS were
ranked IV & V (MPS 64.72% and 64.58% respectively). Absence of
training facilities to acquire the knowledge and management skill, infrequent
visits of veterinary staff, low average milk yield of the milch animal, nonavailability of fodder seed in time and of the desired variety, lack of supply
of vaccines, problems in doorstep veterinary services, non-availability of
semen at the centre for A.I., non-availability of cattle feed and fodder
seed on a credit basis, untrained working staff at the A.I. centre, lack of
improved equipments and non-availability of vaccines were ranked from
more important to less important (Table 1).
As far as the infrastructural constraints of male respondents specifically
are concerned, irregular and inadequate supply of cattle feed ranks first.
Non-availability of emergency veterinary services and infrequent visits of
veterinary staff were jointly ranked 2.5 (Table 1). Marketing and
purchasing tasks are generally performed by the male members of the
family, hence if the cattle feed is not supplied, then men bring it from the
market. Likewise, care of sick animals and veterinary doctor are the
4
Data were collected by a single investigator, who was guided by an advisory committee
comprising : (i) Dr. J.S. Panwar, Prof., Extension Education, (ii) Dr. F.L. Sharma,
Associate P r o f , Extension Education, (iii) Dr. M.S.Bhatnagar, Prof., Statistics, and
(iv) Dr. L.S. Jain, Prof. and Head, Animal Production and Dairying.
56
Social Change :September 2004
TABLE 1
Percent milk producing members of cooperatives citing specified
problems, Jaipur and Dausa districts, Eastern Rajasthan, 2001
~~
S. Constraints
No.
Male
MPS R a n k
Female
Overall
MPS R a n k M P S R a n k
1. Lack of improved equipment
46.39
15.5
49.72
14
48.05
15
2.
Non-availability of emergency
veterinary services
72.78
2.5
69.72
71.25
3. Irregular and inadequate supply

of cattle feed
73.33
56.11
64.72
4. Non-availability of green fodder

throughout the year
57.78
I4
76.67
67.22
5 . Non-availability of vaccines
46.39
15.5
46.39
15
46.39
16
6. Non-availability of fodder seed in
65.00
52.78
11
58.89
7. Infrequent visit of veterinary staff
72.78
2.5
5 1.67
13
62.22
8. Long distance from home to DCS
63.61
6.56
64.58
9.
70.00
78.89
74.44
61.67
52.50
12
57.08
12
1 1. Low average milk yield of the

milch animals
58.06
11.5
61.39
59.72
12. Non-availability of cattle feed and
50.56
14
54.44
52.50
13
time of the desired variety
Unsuitability of time during winters
10. Occasional availability of semen
at the centre for A.I.
fodder seed on credit basis

13. Lack of supply of vaccines
64.44
53.06
10
58.75
10
14. Problems of doorstep

veterinary services
58.33
I0
58.61
58.47
1.1
15. Lack of training facilities
71.39
56.94
64.17
16. Untrained working staff at A.I. centre 53.06
11.5
44.72
16
48.89
14
NS
R-03,
rs
MPS - Mean Percent Score
Rank order correlation
NS Non-significant
responsibilities of male family members. So, these constraints were

strongly expressed by male members. Table 1 further indicates that the
unsuitability of timings for supply of milk to the cooperative in winter due
to cold in the early hours of the day was given first rank in the list of
57
infrastructural concerns by women DCS members. This may be due to

the fact that milking is mainly performed by the women in the early, which
becomes difficult for them in the early morning, especially in winter.
Infrastructural constraints such as non-availability of vaccines, untrained
working staff and lack of improved equipment were perceived as the least
important constraints with more or less equal intensity by DCS male and
female members. As far as the constraint of untrained A.I. staff members
is concerned, respondents reported that it meant a poor conception rate
among buffalo.
Rank order correlation was calculated for ranks accorded to constraints
by male and female members. The calculated value of rank order
correlation coefficient (rS) was found to be 0.31, which is statistically
non-significant. Thus, the data support the proposition that there is no
correlation between the ranks accorded by both the category of respondents
with respect to infrastructural constraints.
These constraints are indicated also in other studies. Shroti (1 989)shows
the problems of veterinary services, A.I. facilities and feed, Singh (1 993)
observes infrequent visits of veterinary doctor by both the categories of
societies, and Thorat and Kulkarni (1994) report the unsuitable time of
milk collection as a constraint.
(b) Technical Constraints
The data presented in Table 2 show that the poor conception rate in buffalo
was perceived as the most important technical constraint with highest
intensity by both categories of respondents. It was a common problem
and had resulted in great economic loss to the milk producers. Likewise,
female members perceived the poor conception rate of A.I. as the second
most important technical constraint. This was due to the fact that the
A.I. (Artificial Insemination) workers were untrained and had inadequate
knowledge about A.I. practices, which resulted in a poor conception rate.
The data show further that lack of knowledge about preparation of silage,
lack of knowledge about feeding and health care practices, non-availability
of high genetic merit bulls, lack of technical guidance related to dairy
practices, lack of knowledge about cheap and scientific housing of animals,
susceptibility of exotic breeds to diseases, intolerance of exotic breeds to
high temperature during summer and greater feed and fodder requirements
of cross bred as compared to desi (indigenous) cows were perceived as
constraints in decreasing order of the importance.
58
The rank correlation (rf>value was calculated between the ranks accorded
by male and female respondents to technical constraints. The calculated
value of rs was 0.92, which is statistically significant at the 1% level of
significance. Thus it could be inferred that ranks assigned by the male
and female respondents were more or less similar with respect to technical
constraints.
These findings are in conformity with the findings of Balasubramaniam
and Knight (1982) and Singh (1993).
TABLE 2
Percent milk producer members citing specified technical constraints
Jaipur and Dausa districts, Eastern Rajasthan, 2001.
S. Constraints
No.
Female
Overall
Male
Rank MPS Rank
MPS
Rank MPS
1. Lack of technical guidance
65.56
61.94
63.75
2. Non-availability of high
63.06
67.22
65.14
49.72
10
49.17
10
49.44
11
4. Poor conception rate in buffalo
63.33
75.28
79.31
5 . Susceptibility of exotic bred
53.61
47.22
11
54.42
49.44
11
51.11
50.28
10
66.39
3.5
67.78
67.08
66.39
3.5
70.00
68.19
62.22
66.67
64.44
10. Cross bred cow milk has poor fat
66.94
68.61
67.27
1 1. Lack of knowledge about cheap

and scientific housing of animals
58.33
57.22
57.78
genetic merit bull

3. Feed and fodder requirements of
cross bred cow is more than deshi
to diseases
6. Intolerance of exotic bred to
high temperature
7. Lack of knowledge about the
preparation of silage
8. Poor conception rate among
artificially inseminated cows

9. Less knowledge about feeding
and health care practices
rs = 0 91
**
rr
Significant at 1 percent level of significance

..
59
(C) Socio-psychological constraints
Table 3 shows that male and female member rank irregular meetings of
the society as the major socio-psychological constraint. The problem is
mainly due to ignorance and because the Secretary and Dairy Supervisor
dont have time for conducting meetings. Table 3 further shows that
male DCS members accorded second rank to the perceived constraint
that the co-operative society was meant for influential people. (Shorti
(1989) too has indicated this). This might be because veterinarians generally
give importance to local leaders and dairy administrators approach mostly
the advanced and dominant dairy members. Female members accorded
second rank to incompetent members of the Executive Committee, may
be because of poor interest and participation in management activities by
management committee members in dairy co-operative societies. The
TABLE 3
Percent milk producers citing specified socio-psychological
constraints, Jaipur and Dausa districts, Eastern Rajasthan, 2001.
~
No.
Female
Male
MPS R a n k MPS R a n k
1. The co-operative society is
69.12
60.00
64.86
2. Lack of knowledge about

participation in society
61.50
58.89
63.19
3. Factions among members due to

caste and family consciousness
58.33
66.61
62.50
5.5
4. Lack of co-operation and

co-ordination among members
60.28
65.83
63.06
5. Reluctance to stand in the

company of privileged sections
52.18
58.05
55.42
6. Milk of cross breed cow has poor

acceptability by family members
60.83
54.44
51.64
I . Real control of DCS in hands

of Secretary
41.22
51.39
49.31
8. Irregular meeting of society
83.33
72.22
77.78
9. Incompetent members of the

executive committee
57.22
67.18
62.50
5.5
S. Constraints
Overall
MPS R a n k
meant for influential people
rs
NS
Non-significant
rr = 0.4 I 7NS
60
Social Chnngc :September 2004
constraint of DCS control by administrative employees was given least

rank by both the category of respondents. This may be due to the fact
that all the dairy activities are carried out by the Dairy Secretary, who
also knows that whenever members want, he can be removed from the
Secretaryship.
Rank correlation was calculated between the ranks accorded by male and
female DCS milk producers to socio-psychological constraints. The
calculated value of rs was 0.4 17, which is statistically non-significant.
Thus, it could be inferred that ranks assigned by the male and female
respondents were different.
(a) Economic Constraints

It is observed from Table 4 that delay in payment of milk was a top priority
among economic constraints by both the male and female DCS members.
Irregular bonus distribution was accorded second rank by both male and
female respondents. As per norms, the payment against supplies of milk
should be done on a ten day basis, but it was reported by members that
they were normally paid late and sometimes in two or three installments at
a time which resulted in dissatisfaction. In case of bonus distribution
also there were irregularities. As per norms, it should be distributed
annually, but sometimes it is distributed after five or more years.
Further, the data presented in Table 4 show that economic constraints
such as low price of milk offered by the union, no provision of loan for
purchasing cattle, high charges for cattle insurance, high cost of fodder
seed, high charges of emergency veterinary services, high cost of cross
bred cows, high cost of cattle feed and mineral mixture, high cost of
veterinary medicines and no incentives for supplying milk to society
members were the other constraints.
These findings are in conformity
with the findings of Gopala and Maraty (1989) and Singh (1993) who
reported that irregular payment, low price o f milk, high charges of
emergency veterinary services, high cost of cattle fed, non-availability of
loan for purchasing animals and high cost of fodder seed were the
constraints perceived by milk producers.
Table 4 further indicates that the rank correlation value between male and
female DCS member perception was found 0.69 1, which is statistically
significant at the 5% level of significance. It can be inferred that the rank
assigned by the male and female members were more or less the same
with respect to economic constraints.
61
TABLE 4
Percent milk producer members citing specified economic
constraints, Jaipur and Dausa districts, Eastern Rajasthan, 2001
~~
~~~
S. Constraints
No.
Male
Female
Overall
MPS Rank MPS R a n k M P S Rank
1. High cost of fodder seed
66.39
53.89
2. Delay in payment of milk
82.50
82.22
82.36
3. Low price of milk offered by union
71.94
59.72
65.83
4. High cost of cross bred cow
57.22
57.50
57.36
5. High cost of veterinary medicines
53.06
48.33
11
50.69
10
6. High cost of cattle feed and
51.66
10
54.44
53.06
71.39
56.39
63.89
8. Irregular bonus distribution
77.50
79.72
78.61
9. No incentives for supplying
48.61
11
50.83
10
49.72
11
55.83
61.39
58.61
67.78
53.61
60.69
60.14
mineral mixture
7. No provision of loan in society
or union for purchasing cattle
milk to society
10. High charges of emergency
veterinary services
1 1. High charges for cattle insurance
* Significant at 5% level of significance

rr
r, = 0.691
(e) Marketing Constraints
Table 5 shows that both male and female DCS milk producer members
ranked Discrepant and discrete testing of fat as first among marketing
constraints; most of the male and female society members observed daily
variation of fat in the same milk although the feeding and management
practices were same. Thats why members feel that the fat tester is
manipulated. The second rank was accorded to malpractices in the
transport of milk from the Society to the chilling centre by the members.
No provision for advance payment of milk, DCS being far away from
home, payment of milk made only on fat percent basis not on fat and SNF
(Solid Not Fat), pure exotic breed not available in the local market and
difficulty of selling milk to society as compared to selling to vendors were
more important to least important marketing constraints.
62
The findings are in accordance with the findings of Singh (1993) who
found that the lack of facility of advance payment by society is a constraint,
unlike in the case of vendors, and discrepancy in reading of fat is also a
problem,
Table 5 show also that the rank order correlation value was 0.964, which
is highly significant at 1 percent level of significance. It can be inferred
that ranks accorded by the female milk producer members are similar to
the rank accorded by male members.
TABLE 5
Percent milk producer members citing specified marketing
constraints, Jaipur and Dausa districts, Eastern Rajasthan, 2001
S. Constraints
No.
Overall
Male
Female
MPS Rank MPS Rank MPS Rank
1. DCS far away from home
67.78
63.06
65.42
2. Payment of milk is made only

on fat percent basis
65.28
50.83
58.06
3. Malpractices from society

to chilling centre
85.00
79.72
82.36
4. Pure exotic bred are not

available in the local market
58.61
56.67
57.64
5 . Society has no provision of
79.72
75.00
77.36
6. Discrepant and discrete

testing of fat
93.06
85.56
89.31
7. Selling of milk to society is hard

as compared to selling to vendors
51. I 1
46.67
48.89
advance payment for milk
**
rr
rr = 0.964"
Significant at 1 percent level of significance

Conclusions
Irregular and inadequate supply of cattle feed, poor conception rate in
buffalo, irregular meetings of the society, delay in payment of milk and
discrepant and discrete testing of fat were the most important constraints
as perceived by male dairy co-operative society milk producer members,
whereas constraints as identified from female milk producers were: 'time
63
does not suit for milking in winter season, poor conception rate in buffalo,
irregular meetings of society, delay in payment of milk and discrepant and
discrete testing of fat. 0
References
Balasubramaniam, R. Knight A.J. 1982. Bottlenecks in modem dairying, Indian Journal
ofExtension Education. 18 : 102-105.
Gopala, K.C.H. and Maraty, P. 1989. Impact of primary milk producers cooperative
societies on beneficiaries in Nagonda district of Andhra Pradesh, Indian Coop.
Review.24 : 278-282.
Kurup, M.G.P. 2000. Milk production in India : Prospective 2020, Indian Dairyman, 5 2
( 1 ) : 25.37.
Shorti, A.K. 1989. An analysis of constraints in milk procurement in milk producer
cooperative union limited. Aligarh, M.Sc., Thesis, NDRI, Karnal.
Singh, R. 1993.. A study of constrains in the functioning of milk producers co-operative
societies in Western U.P. Ph.D. Thesis, NDRI, Karnal.
Thorat, D.R. and Kulkarni, B.R., 1994. Constraints faced by the dairy farmers, Mah.
Journal of Extension Education. 13 : 305-306. 0

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53-63

Social Change : September 2004 : Vol. 34 No. 3

Dairy cooperative societies - Perceptions of milk

Data collected from milk producing members of 20 dairy cooperative

Research Scholar, Department of Extension Education, RCA, Udaipur. Residence :

Professor and Ex-Director, Directorate of Extensiqn E&xation. Maharana Pratap

Social Chaige : September 2004

Indian Dairyman. 2000. 2 5 - 3 7 .

Social Change : September 2004

simple random sampling. Data were collected by an investigator4 through

Results and discussion

(a) Infrastructural Constraints

Social Change :September 2004

1. Lack of improved equipment

3. Irregular and inadequate supply

4. Non-availability of green fodder

6. Non-availability of fodder seed in

7. Infrequent visit of veterinary staff

8. Long distance from home to DCS

1 1. Low average milk yield of the

12. Non-availability of cattle feed and

time of the desired variety

Unsuitability of time during winters

10. Occasional availability of semen

at the centre for A.I.

fodder seed on credit basis

14. Problems of doorstep

15. Lack of training facilities

16. Untrained working staff at A.I. centre 53.06

Rank order correlation

responsibilities of male family members. So, these constraints were

Social Change :September 2004

infrastructural concerns by women DCS members. This may be due to

Social Change : September 2004

1. Lack of technical guidance

4. Poor conception rate in buffalo

5 . Susceptibility of exotic bred

10. Cross bred cow milk has poor fat

1 1. Lack of knowledge about cheap

genetic merit bull

cross bred cow is more than deshi

artificially inseminated cows

and health care practices

Significant at 1 percent level of significance

Social Change : September 2004

(C) Socio-psychological constraints

1. The co-operative society is

2. Lack of knowledge about

3. Factions among members due to

4. Lack of co-operation and

5. Reluctance to stand in the

6. Milk of cross breed cow has poor

I . Real control of DCS in hands

8. Irregular meeting of society

9. Incompetent members of the

meant for influential people

Rank order correlation

Social Chnngc :September 2004

constraint of DCS control by administrative employees was given least

(a) Economic Constraints

Social Change :September 2004

1. High cost of fodder seed

2. Delay in payment of milk

3. Low price of milk offered by union