1 Introduction
Dairying in India is by large in the hands of small/marginal landholders and
agriculture laborers. The national average land holding is 1.68 ha per farm family
and cattle and/or buffalo is a part of family. Eighty percent of 97.7 million farm
families in India posses cattle and/or buffalo. Even agriculture labourers (11.5 % of
97.7 million) posses one or two dairy cattle/buffalo. Livestock keeping in general
and dairying in particular, once a subsidiary enterprise, (Supplementary/
complementary) to agriculture, has now become the major enterprise economically and the crop production are becoming dependent on dairying (Strategies for
Sustainable Dairy Production in India).
Scope for Dairy Farming and its National Importance; The total milk production in the country for the year 2008–2009 was estimated at 108.5 million
metric tonnes and the demand is expected to be 180 million tonnes by 2020. To
achieve this demand, annual growth rate in milk production has to be increased
from the present 2.5–5 %. Thus, there is a tremendous scope/potential for
increasing the milk production through profitable dairy farming.
1
India derives nearly 33 % of the gross domestic population from agriculture and
has 66 % of economically active population in agriculture. The share of livestock
product is estimated at 21 % of total agriculture sector. The fact that dairying could
play a more constructive role in promoting rural welfare and reducing poverty
(www.allindiadairy.com).
Milk production alone involves more than 70 million producers, each raising
one or two cows/buffaloes primarily for milk production. The dairy sector offers a
good opportunity to entrepreneurs in India. India is a land of opportunity for those
who are looking for new and expanding markets. Growth prospects in the dairy
sector are very bright.
2
Dairying contributes little more than 7 % to the national income; contribution of
livestock sector to the national economy was in the range of Rs. 130,233 crores
(1999–2000).
3 Milk output accounts for more than 17 % of India’s agriculture
production today as against 14 % in 1970–1971.
Organic farming is defined as a production system which largely excludes or
avoids the use of fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, etc. and relies mainly on
organic sources to maintain soil health, supply plant nutrients and minimise insects,
weeds and other pests.
Organic farming is giving back to the nature what is taken from it. It is not mere
non-chemicalism in agriculture; it is a system of farming based on integral
relationship. Therefore, one should know the relationship among soil, water, plant
1
Animal Husbandry-Dairy Farming-Serva Manav Vikas Samiti (An NGO) (All India Dairy
Business Directory).
2
Milk production A fact sheet—Dairy India (5th Edition).
3
Dairy Year Book 05–06.
402
N. Kumara et al.
Dairying in India is by large in the hands of small/marginal landholders and
agriculture laborers. The national average land holding is 1.68 ha per farm family
and cattle and/or buffalo is a part of family. Eighty percent of 97.7 million farm
families in India posses cattle and/or buffalo. Even agriculture labourers (11.5 % of
97.7 million) posses one or two dairy cattle/buffalo. Livestock keeping in general
and dairying in particular, once a subsidiary enterprise, (Supplementary/
complementary) to agriculture, has now become the major enterprise economically and the crop production are becoming dependent on dairying (Strategies for
Sustainable Dairy Production in India).
Scope for Dairy Farming and its National Importance; The total milk production in the country for the year 2008–2009 was estimated at 108.5 million
metric tonnes and the demand is expected to be 180 million tonnes by 2020. To
achieve this demand, annual growth rate in milk production has to be increased
from the present 2.5–5 %. Thus, there is a tremendous scope/potential for
increasing the milk production through profitable dairy farming.
1
India derives nearly 33 % of the gross domestic population from agriculture and
has 66 % of economically active population in agriculture. The share of livestock
product is estimated at 21 % of total agriculture sector. The fact that dairying could
play a more constructive role in promoting rural welfare and reducing poverty
(www.allindiadairy.com).
Milk production alone involves more than 70 million producers, each raising
one or two cows/buffaloes primarily for milk production. The dairy sector offers a
good opportunity to entrepreneurs in India. India is a land of opportunity for those
who are looking for new and expanding markets. Growth prospects in the dairy
sector are very bright.
2
Dairying contributes little more than 7 % to the national income; contribution of
livestock sector to the national economy was in the range of Rs. 130,233 crores
(1999–2000).
3 Milk output accounts for more than 17 % of India’s agriculture
production today as against 14 % in 1970–1971.
Organic farming is defined as a production system which largely excludes or
avoids the use of fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, etc. and relies mainly on
organic sources to maintain soil health, supply plant nutrients and minimise insects,
weeds and other pests.
Organic farming is giving back to the nature what is taken from it. It is not mere
non-chemicalism in agriculture; it is a system of farming based on integral
relationship. Therefore, one should know the relationship among soil, water, plant
1
Animal Husbandry-Dairy Farming-Serva Manav Vikas Samiti (An NGO) (All India Dairy
Business Directory).
2
Milk production A fact sheet—Dairy India (5th Edition).
3
Dairy Year Book 05–06.
402
N. Kumara et al.