Problems faced by dairy farmers in Punjab : A study of Sri Muktsar Sahib and Mansa districts

Punjab is an agriculture dominant state as major occupation here is agriculture. But due to some reasons from the past decade it did not seem to be available occupation. People started deviating from agriculture and even governments are asking for diversification and to adopt other subsidiary occupations. Dairy farming is one of such occupation which support agriculture income and even as an independent entrepreneurship it is profitable occupation. But dairy farmers are also facing many problems and with this objective present study was conducted in two districts of Punjab state. From eighteen randomly selected villages of Sri Muktsar Sahib and Mansa, 320 respondents were interviewed with the help of a structured interview schedule. It was found that non-availability of insurance of animals was the major problem and even they were not aware about the existing various dairy development schemes. Distant location of veterinary hospitals, lack of organized milk marketing facilities in villages were some of other prominent problems they were facing. Dairy farming can be a viable source to enhance the rural income and can a profitable source of income for rural masses if their problems to be addressed with utmost attention.