Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural Dairy Farming: A Case ...
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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural Dairy Farming: A Case
Study of Phulparas Block, Madhubani, Bihar
Sukriti Suman
Research Scholar, Department of Zoology
Patna University, Patna, India.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event affecting all the corners of
the world. The spread of the virus being a global health crisis, is also affecting various sectors
across the globe, livestock sector being one of it. The dairy industry has also not gone
untouched. The demand for milk has drastically dropped and fodder has become scarce and
costlier. This has lead dairy farming to a difficult situation. This paper takes Phulparas
Block/Tehsil as the case study area, evaluating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the
rural dairy farming. Primary data has been collected on the ground from the people engaged
in dairy farming. The analysis results indicate that the pandemic-driven lockdown has
severely impacted dairy farming. The situations are worse in rural areas as the people
engaged in this business are mainly small farmers and small cattle owners who depend on the
immediate cash to sustain their livelihood.
Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, dairy farming, rural dairy farmers, lockdown
INTRODUCTION
India is the largest milk producer in the world according to Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. Within the time period of three decades, India has
transformed from a milk-deficient country to the world’s leading milk producer1. This
massive success is attributed to Operation Flood (1970–1996), a government initiative which
was launched to help farmers in dairy development activities. India's dairy sector serves as an
important source of income and employment in the rural areas providing livelihood to about
70 million households2. Dairy activities form a crucial part of the rural Indian economy. Key
aspect of India's dairy industry is the predominance of small farmers who account for the
production of more than 70 percent of milk. It provides immediate cash for their day to day
life. The COVID-19, which originated in the city of Wuhan, China, has quickly become
planet-wide. It has spread to various countries and attained the status of pandemic. Amid the
COVID-19 pandemic, various countries across the world implemented lockdowns to “flatten
the curve” of the infection. The pandemic-driven lockdown confined millions of people to
their homes, businesses and factories were shut down, transportations were suspended which
severely impacted the economic activities. The dairy industry has also got severely hit as the
1http://www.fao.org/3/i0588e/I0588E05.htm#:~:text=Over%20the%20span%20of%20three,100%20million%20to
nnes%20in%202006. 2 https://www.bizvibe.com/blog/food-beverages/top-10-largest-milk-producing-countries/
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lockdown restrictions disrupted supply chain which in turn, affected milk procurement and
milk sales.
In India, the condition of dairy industry become even worse as the major share of milk is
handled by the unorganized sector while only about 40 per cent is handled by the organized
sector which consists of dairy cooperatives, private milk plants etc. Here, small farmers or
cattle owners take care of a small group of milch animals; milk is collected by them and made
available to nearby households. Due to the enforcement of pandemic-driven lockdown from
25th March, 2020 in India, the rural dairy farming got heavily affected. Milk, a perishable
product, can’t be stored for longer without proper processing and in rural areas, where there
are lack of milk processing facilities; the proper handling of surplus milk is difficult. As a
result, the superfluous fresh milk gets spoiled or dumped by the farmers in different rural
areas of India.
Present research paper focuses on the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the rural dairy
farming of Phulparas Block. This paper provides a glimpse of the effect of COVID-19
pandemic on dairy activities like milk production, milk sales, availability of fodder for cattle
and handling of surplus milk, if any, in rural areas of India.
STUDY REGION
Phulparas Block is located in Phulparas Subdivision of Madhubani district of Bihar, India. It
is situated 2 KM away from Phulparas Subdivision and 65 KM away from district
headquarters Madhubani.. Total population of Phulparas Block is around one lakh sixty
thousand spread over 14 panchayats and 57 villages.. Maithli is the local language.
METHODOLOGY AND DATABASE
To study the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the dairy farming of Phulparas block,
primary data has been collected from all the 14 panchayats namely Bathnaha, Gehuma Bairia,
Saini, Mahindwar, Dharmdiha, Godhiyari, Dhanauja, Suggapatti, Kalapatti, Sisbar, Mahthaur
Khurd, Phulparas, Siswa Barhi and Ramnagar. From each panchayat, 15 people involved in
the dairy activities were interviewed with a schedule consisting of questions. The interviewed
people were either local dairy farm owners or small farmers with cattle involved in the
business. The obtained primary data was analyzed to see the effects of COVID-19 pandemic
on rural dairy farming.
DISCUSSION
People engaged in dairy farming in Phulparas Block/Tehsil are mainly small farmers. 15
people were randomly selected from each of the 14 panchayats as sample respondents. The
data of number of cows and buffalos owned by the sample respondents, per day average milk
production by a cow and a buffalo, selling price of 1 liter of milk before and during lockdown
period was recorded. Price of fodder per animal per day was also recorded. Ways to handle
surplus milk was also asked. Number of milch animals owned by dairy farmers ranged from
1-12.
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Table- 1 Primary data collected by
Table 1:
Number of milch animals owned by
In Phulparas Block /Tehsil, dairy farms are dominated by cows and buffalos
producing animals like goats are few. Cows outnumber
there are 192 cows and 114 buffalos among the sample respondents
is more in the area, encouraging dairy farmers to raise more cows.
practiced alongside agriculture.
animals. Some of them have either a cow or a buffalo. The
there are not many functional milk collection centers.
Figure-1 No. of milch animal / sample respondent in a panchayat
12
16
1012
810 10
02468
101214161820
No
. o
f A
nim
als
1 Primary data collected by the author
of milch animals owned by the sample respondents of Panchayats.
, dairy farms are dominated by cows and buffalos. Other milk
producing animals like goats are few. Cows outnumber buffalos; this can be estimated as
there are 192 cows and 114 buffalos among the sample respondents. The demand of cow milk
is more in the area, encouraging dairy farmers to raise more cows. The dairy farming is
practiced alongside agriculture. Many small farmers have very small number of milch
animals. Some of them have either a cow or a buffalo. There is no big dairy in this area.
functional milk collection centers.
No. of milch animal / sample respondent in a panchayat
1214
16
1315
1614
18
1211
86
10
7 76
86
810
Panchayat
No. of Cows No. of Buffalo
Other milk-
this can be estimated as
The demand of cow milk
he dairy farming is
very small number of milch
re is no big dairy in this area. Also
13
10 10
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Milk Production
The population of cows and buffalos of this area consists of both native breeds as well as
crossbreeds. On average a cow
produces 8-14 liters of milk per day.
area have small number of milch animals, they keep some amount of milk for their
consumption and sell the rest
Highway, small hotels of nearby towns, sweet shops and tea stalls
also utilized in making of ghee, butter and curd for personal use and for selling to
areas. The production of milk has
lockdown. But, as the lockdown implied restricted movements and shutting down
places mentioned above where
dairy farmers.
Figure-2 Average milk production (in liters)
respondents in panchayats
Selling Price of Milk Before and During Lockdown
A glimpse of the impact of COVID
at the selling price of milk before and during lockdown. There is a decrease in the selling
price of milk during lockdown.
small farmers who used to supply milk to the
doing that. Demand of milk has
nearby towns, sweet shops and tea stall
dairy farmers.
0
10
20
Am
ou
nt
in L
ite
rs
Avg Lt. of Milk Produced by Cow/Day
The population of cows and buffalos of this area consists of both native breeds as well as
On average a cow produces nearly 10-16 liters of milk per day and
14 liters of milk per day. As the people involved in dairy farming in
area have small number of milch animals, they keep some amount of milk for their
consumption and sell the rest to the households of the area, line hotels near National
Highway, small hotels of nearby towns, sweet shops and tea stalls. Some amount of milk is
also utilized in making of ghee, butter and curd for personal use and for selling to
ction of milk has not been noticeably affected by the pandemic
as the lockdown implied restricted movements and shutting down
where they used to supply milk, resulted in surplus milk with the
verage milk production (in liters) per day by one milch animal of sample
Selling Price of Milk Before and During Lockdown
A glimpse of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dairy farming can be caught by looking
at the selling price of milk before and during lockdown. There is a decrease in the selling
price of milk during lockdown. Transportation restrictions are one of the reasons as many
used to supply milk to the nearby town areas could no longer continue
has dropped also as the line hotels near NH-57, hotels
, sweet shops and tea stall are all shut down. This is causing financial loss
PanchaytsAvg Lt. of Milk Produced by Cow/Day Avg Lt. of Milk Produced by Buffalo/Day
The population of cows and buffalos of this area consists of both native breeds as well as
16 liters of milk per day and a buffalo
in the sample
area have small number of milch animals, they keep some amount of milk for their
to the households of the area, line hotels near National
. Some amount of milk is
also utilized in making of ghee, butter and curd for personal use and for selling to nearby
noticeably affected by the pandemic-driven
as the lockdown implied restricted movements and shutting down of various
resulted in surplus milk with the
by one milch animal of sample
can be caught by looking
at the selling price of milk before and during lockdown. There is a decrease in the selling
one of the reasons as many
could no longer continue
57, hotels in the
financial loss to the
Avg Lt. of Milk Produced by Buffalo/Day
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Figure-3 Selling price of milk before
The cost of fodder before and during lockdown
The fodder for cattle generally includes green fodder, dry fodder,
supplements like mineral mixture.
fodder, 15-20 Kg of green fodder, 5
mixture. The availability of fodder became less due to transportation constrains
the average cost of fodder has
spread of COVID-19, the dairy farmers find it difficult to take out their cattle for grazing.
This compelled them to buy fodder even at increased rates in order to maintain their cattle.
Figure-4 Average cost of fodder for each milch animal per day before and during
lockdown period
32 32 32 323234
32 3230 30 30
3230
32 32 32
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Pri
ce i
n R
up
ess
Selling price of milk before and during lockdown
0
50
100
150
200
250
Pri
ce in
Ru
pe
es
milk before and during lockdown period
The cost of fodder before and during lockdown
generally includes green fodder, dry fodder, cattle feed and other
supplements like mineral mixture. In general, a milch animal should be fed 2
green fodder, 5-15 Kg of cattle feed and around 150 gm. of mineral
mixture. The availability of fodder became less due to transportation constrains
verage cost of fodder has increased during lockdown. Due to lockdown and fear of
19, the dairy farmers find it difficult to take out their cattle for grazing.
This compelled them to buy fodder even at increased rates in order to maintain their cattle.
Average cost of fodder for each milch animal per day before and during
32 3230 30
32 32 32 32
36
3234
32 3234 34
36 3638
32 32
28 2830 30 30
3234
3234
30 3032 32
34 34 34
Panchayats
Selling price of milk before and during lockdown
period
Cost of 1 Lt. Cow Milk before lockdown
period
Cost of 1 Lt. Buffalo Milk before
Lockdown Period
Cost of 1 Lt. Cow Milk during lockdown
Period
Panchayats
Avg. Cost of Fodder/Milch
Animal before Lockdown
cattle feed and other
milch animal should be fed 2-6 Kg dry
cattle feed and around 150 gm. of mineral
and hence,
. Due to lockdown and fear of
19, the dairy farmers find it difficult to take out their cattle for grazing.
This compelled them to buy fodder even at increased rates in order to maintain their cattle.
Average cost of fodder for each milch animal per day before and during
36
32
363434
30
3432
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CONCLUSION
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected dairy farming. The demand of milk got
drastically reduced during lockdown period because of shutting down of line hotels, small
hotels, sweet shops and tea stalls. Owing to the drop in demand, significant amount of milk is
left with the dairy farmers and they face problems in handling the surplus milk. Milk
processing facilities are not available in rural areas causing spoilage and wastage of fresh
milk to a larger extent. The dairy farmers are trying to minimize the wastage of milk to some
extent by converting the surplus milk into butter and ghee. Some distribute the surplus milk to
relatives and nearby households for free. Due to transportation constraints, there is
inadequate supply of fodder and cattle feed. Fodder and cattle feed become scarce and costlier
making the condition even worse. Initially lockdown and then fear of COVID-19 infection
served as deterrents to take the cattle out for grazing hence, constraining them to buy more
fodder even at increased rates. Cumulative effect of these factors made the condition of rural
dairy farmers pitiful.
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