Vol. 12, Special Issue 9 (2023)

Dairy farming plays a pivotal role in shaping the socio-economic prosperity of farmers residing in the state of Telangana. A comprehensive research study focused on milk disposal was conducted within the districts of Karimnagar, Khammam and Ranga Reddy, all located in Telangana state. This research encompassed data collection from a total of 240 farmers, strategically chosen from 24 villages spanning across 6 mandals within the selected districts. The 240 respondents actively participated in structured interviews based on a standardized questionnaire.

The analysis of buffalo milk production disposal patterns reveals that a significant majority (55.35%) of milk is channeled through cooperative dairy outlets, followed by retail selling (26.68%) and private agencies (18.15%). The prevailing prices per litre of milk in these channels are as follows: Rs.49.38 in cooperative dairies, Rs.50.70 through private agencies, and Rs.55.07 in retail sales. For crossbred cow milk production, the majority (67.42%) of milk is directed towards cooperative dairies, with private agencies accounting for 18.66%, and retail selling comprising 13.99%. The respective prices per litre of milk are Rs.32.77 in cooperative dairies, Rs.34.38 through private agencies, and Rs.39.66 in retail sales. In the case of indigenous cow milk production, the predominant disposal method is through cooperative dairies, representing 60.42% of the total, followed by private agencies at 25.66%, and retail selling at 13.92%. The corresponding prices per litre of milk are Rs.35.83 in cooperative dairies, Rs.37.73 through private agencies, and Rs.40.66 in retail sales.