STATUS OF ORGANIC DAIRY FARMING - AN EXPLORATORY STUDY IN ANDHRA PRADESH
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Date
2017-01
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT :
An exploratory research design was adopted for the present study conducted in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In India, the organic livestock and poultry standards have been notified by APEDA for implementation since 1st June, 2015, which, however, are not yet known to the stakeholders indicating the need to fill this gap. In order to promote organic dairy farming in view of raising demand for the organic products globally, a study has been planned to assess the status of organic dairy farming in Andhra Pradesh. The present study was undertaken in Visakhapatnam, Krishna and Chittoor districts of AP by selecting 20 dairy farmers, 10 field veterinarians and 20 consumers from each district and 30 scientific staff from three veterinary colleges i.e. Gannavaram, Tirupati and Proddatur 10 from each college of Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University. Thus a total of 60 dairy farmers, 60 veterinarians and 60 consumers have been selected through multistage sampling method for the study. The data from farmers, veterinarians and consumers was collected personally with the help of three separate interview schedules and the findings were processed, analyzed and interpreted. The salient features of the research study were as follows. Nearly three-fourth (73.33%) of the farmers in the study area were in the middle age and about one-third (36.67%) of the dairy farmers were graduates. More than half (55%) of the dairy farmers belonged to Open Category (OC). Majority of the dairy farmers belonged to small family (86.7%) and with nuclear type of family (85%). Cent per cent of the farmers were with agriculture and dairying as major and subsidiary occupations, respectively. More than half (61.67%) of the dairy farmers belonged to medium income group and nearly three fourth (73.33%) were with medium level of farming experience. Whereas, the average experience of the farmers in organic farming was 5.16 years. Cent per cent of the dairy farmers were having accessibility to information on organic farming. Whereas, more than half (58.33%) of the farmers expressed the need of information regarding marketing of organic produce. Less than haf (41.67%) of the farmers attended trainings conducted by government organizations on organic farming. However, majority (83.33%) expressed the need of trainings regarding Organic livestock Practices like production of organic manure, organic pesticides, organic feed and livestock health management in organic systems. Majority (65%) of the dairy farmers were large farmers with a land holding of more than 5 acres and the total land holding of the farmers was found to be 542 acres, among which 455 acres was in organic cultivation. Nearly half (46.67%) of the farmers were cultivating paddy, vegetables and fruits and about one-third of the dairy farmers had small herd size. Majority (90%) of the farmers were involved in preparation of compost and majority (91.70%) were selling organic produce directly to consumers. Nearly three-fourth (78.33%) of the farmers were not having any certified label to organic produce. Cent percent of the farmers reported that consumers were willing to pay higher prices for their organic produce and the consumers with education, high income and health consciousness were willing to pay higher prices for organic produce as reported by 83.33 per cent of organic farmers. Majority (96.7%) of the farmers were getting a price premium up to twenty per cent. Nearly one-fourth of the farmers were having certification for their organic produce. Nearly half (46.67) of the veterinarians in the study area were with young age and about 80 per cent of field veterinarians were with B.V.Sc and three-fourth of scientific staff with Ph.D qualification. About two-third (66.67%) of field veterinarians were Veterinary Assistant Surgeons and less than half (43.33%) of scientific staff were professors and about 56.67 per cent of veterinarians were with medium level of work experience. Field veterinarians were devoting half of the time to extension, whereas, scientific staff were devoting 60 per cent of time to teaching. Majority of the veterinarians were using news paper as information source regarding organic farming and none of the veterinarians in the study area received any training regarding organic livestock production. Majority of the veterinarians were willing to learn about organic livestock production, whereas, Cent per cent of field veterinarians were interested to learn about treatment of animals in organic ways. Among scientific staff, 83.33 per cent of veterinarians were interested to learn about organic livestock standards, feeding of animals and production of organic products. Majority (93.33%) of the field veterinarians thought that it is necessary for the veterinarians to know about alternative veterinary medicines other than allopathy. Majority (73.33%) of the field veterinarians mentioned that farmers using alternative medicines. Cent per cent of the field veterinarians were following only allopathy and moreover, all the field veterinarians reported that the farmers were preferring allopathy. More than half (60%) of the farmers had medium level of perception towards organic dairy standards followed by 21.67 and 18.33 per cent of farmers with high and low levels of perception towards organic dairy standards, respectively. Three-fourth of the veterinarians had medium level of perception towards organic dairy standards followed by 15 and 10 per cent of veterinarians with low and high levels of perception towards organic dairy standards, respectively. Both the stakeholders of organic dairy farming i.e. farmers and veterinarians have favorable perception towards organic dairy standards. Majority (53.33%) of the consumers in the study area belonged to young age and majority (73.33%) of them were males. Nearly three-fourth (71.67%) of the respondents had medium family size and about 95 per cent of the respondents with nuclear type of family. Nearly three-fourth (71.67%) of the consumers were graduates and nearly half (45%) of the respondents were government employees. More than half (61.67%) of the consumers were with medium income group. Majority (75%) of the respondents were non-vegetarians and all the consumers were aware of quality food products. Majority (66.67%) of the consumers perceived quality food product in terms of its appearance, freshness and smell and about half of the respondents were aware about “Quality food” through T.V and news paper. Cent per cent of the respondents were interested in quality food products, among which about two-third (66.66%) were interested towards quality food products due to health consciousness & affordability to buy. Quality food products are available to all the consumers of the study and just above half (53.33%) of the consumers were willing to pay 5-10 per cent price premium for quality food products. Majority of the consumers perceived quality of livestock products in terms of external characteristics only and none of the consumers were aware of the internal characteristics of quality livestock food products. About 41.67 per cent of the consumers perceived organic food as the food which is produced and processed without any chemical and pesticide usage. Organic food products are not available to more than three-fourth (78.33%) of the respondents and about 83.33 per cent of the respondents were not consuming any kind of organic food products. Majority (96%) of the consumers were not consuming organic food products because of non-availability of organic food products regularly. More than half (60%) of the consumers reported the price of organic food products as expensive. However, nearly three-fourth (71.67%) of the respondents were ready to purchase organic products even though there is frequent rise in price.
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