Implications of covid-19 on dairy sector: evidences from milk shed areas around Pantnagar, Uttarakhand
Loading...
Date
2021-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Sudden outbreak of the Covid-19 and restrictions enforced by the Indian government to control the situation, gave a strong impact on the fast growing dairy sector of the country. Study conducted to find out the implications of Covid-19 by taking data from a total of 80 respondents comprised of 40 members of milk co-operative society and 40 non-members dairy farmers of Jawaharnagar and Shantipuri milk shed areas of Udham singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. Study indicated that majority of dairy farmers of study areas were middle aged (67.5% and 60%) belonged to general category (75%) having education level between primary to high school (42% and 40%) and belonged to nuclear family (62.5% and 57.5%) with family size of 4 to 6 members (60% and 75%). Majority of dairy farmers had their own land and 62 and 95 percent of them were engaged with agriculture and dairying as a primary occupation with medium herd size (52.5%) in Shantipuri and small herd size (72.5%) in Jawaharnagar. About 57.5 and 75 percent dairy farmers of Jawaharnagar and Shantipuri respectively followed the regular vaccination and daily cleaning of shade by about 82.5 percent and 80 percent. Most of dairy farmers purchased feed (87.5% and 72.5%) and medicines (97.5% and 95 %) from market and had low mass media exposure and extension agent contacts. TV was the major information source about Covid-19 whereas fellow farmer was the major consultants for dairying. Data related to training needs indicated that marketing (p ≤ 0.01) and credit facilities from the bank and other institutions (p ≤ 0.01) were the major information seeking areas. Whereas healthcare management and reproduction, feeding management of the dry, pregnant, newborn and lactating animas, etc. were the others during Covid-19. Disruption of the milk marketing channels (p ≤ 0.01) and nonavailability of concentrate feed (p ≤ 0.01) were the major constraints during this pandemic situation, which was more faced by the non-member dairy farmers than members of dairy co-operative societies. But the milk price drop (p ≤ 0.01) was more among the members rather than non-members who faced more decrease in milk marketing (p ≤ 0.01). Among management and feeding constraints, high cost (rank I) and non-availability (rank II) of concentrate feed, among breeding and health care constraints, ignorance of vaccination (rank II), non-availability of the veterinary services as well as medicines (rank III) and among the administrative and technological constraints, price fluctuation of cattle feed (rank I), movement restriction (rank I), poor transportation (rank II) etc. were the major significant (p ≤ 0.01) constraints reported by the dairy farmers during Covid-19 pandemic. Age (p ≤ 0.01), family size, education (p ≤ 0.05) and occupation were negatively where as gender (p ≤ 0.01) and herd size (p ≤ 0.05) were positively correlated with these constraints and also the overall data indicated that non-member dairy farmers more suffered than members during Covid-19. Bearing mask, avoiding shake hand, regular hand sanitization, physical distancing, washing hand with and without sanitizer before milking etc. were the most adopted precautionary measures to prevent Covid-19.