PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF INDIGENOUS BUFFALO AND COW MILK IN DHARWAD DISTRICT : AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

The study was conducted to know the production and marketing of indigenous buffalo and cow milk in Dharwad district of Karnataka. The sample size was 500 (250 buffalo milk producers and 250 cow milk producers). Multistage random sampling procedure was followed for the selection of the samples. The results of the study revealed that the buffalo milk producers are most profitable with net returns of Rs. 19 per litre and per litre benefit cost ratio of 2.37 as compared to cow milk (Rs. 10 & 1.56 respectively). Among the variable costs, cost of dry fodder (13% & 12%), green fodder (25% & 36%) and cost of concentrates (45% & 32%) was the major contributor to the total cost of milk production. Among the four marketing channels, the producer share in consumer rupee was lowest in channel III where the PMPCs gaining more margin (16% in buffalo milk and 25 % in cow milk).