Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural Dairy Farming: A Case

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.

[email protected]

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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Volume 8, Issue 8, 2020

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


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


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


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


16 liters of milk per day and a buffalo

in the sample


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


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.


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.


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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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural Dairy Farming: A Case