Factors influencing Dairy Farmers’ Participation in Organized Milk Marketing Channels in Sri Ganganagar District of Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Rajasthan has a well-established dairy sector that contributes substantially to rural livelihoods. This study analysed the factors associated with dairy farmers’ choice between organised and unorganised milk marketing channels in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. A purposively selected sample of 120 dairy farmers, comprising 60 members and 60 non-members of dairy cooperative societies, was considered. Organised marketing channels included dairy cooperatives and private dairy plants, whereas unorganised channels included milk vendors or middlemen, sweet shops or creameries, and direct sales to consumers. A binomial logistic regression model was used to examine associations between selected socio-economic and market-related factors and marketing-channel choice. Among cooperative members, the authors’ reported significance markings identified age of the household head, milch animal holding, distance to the selling point, milk price, and availability of advances as statistically significant factors. Among non-members, only milk price was marked as statistically significant. The reported coefficients indicated that greater distance from the selling point and increasing age were associated with lower odds of organised-channel participation among cooperative members, whereas milch animal holding and availability of advances showed positive associations. The findings therefore indicate that milk price, accessibility of selling points, herd size, age, and payment arrangements are relevant to marketing-channel decisions within the study sample. The results represent statistical associations and should not be interpreted as evidence of profitability or causal effects.