@article{Singh:206330,
      recid = {206330},
      author = {Singh, Shiv Raj and Datta, K.K.},
      title = {Future of Smallholders in the Indian Dairy Sector – Some  Anecdotal Evidence},
      journal = {Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics},
      address = {2013},
      number = {902-2016-66708},
      pages = {13},
      year = {2013},
      abstract = {Dairying is an important activity in Indian economy  contributing about 27 per cent of the agricultural
gross  domestic product (GDP) and around 4.35 per cent of the  national GDP. The total milk production
has increased from  48.40 million tonnes in 1988-89 to 127 million tonnes in  2011-12. Dairying in India is
more inclusive compared to  crop production in the sense that it involves a majority of  the vulnerable
segments of the society for livelihoods.  Land fragmentation also impacts the distribution of dairy  animals
because of integration of agricultural land with  dairying. Increase in the number of agricultural  holdings
and their continuous sub-division among the family  siblings seemed to be affecting the consolidation of
milk  animal holdings. As a result of land fragmentation, the  numbers of operational holdings across the
landless,  marginal and small categories have increased over the years  resulting in reduction in the average
size (Government of  India, 2006). It is with this background that this paper  has studied the structural
transformation and current  structure of the Indian dairy sector, along with its  contribution to the household
income. It has also examined  the contribution of dairy sector to achieve the inclusive  and equitable growth
process in the country. The study  observed that fragmentation of land has led to increase in  the operational
holdings across different categories in the  last four decades. The study also revealed that the  proportional
expenses on dairying to total production  expenditure at the household level is inversely related to  land
ownership whereas as income from dairying to total  family income of the households is also inversely
related  to land ownership. Therefore, dairying has the capacity to  reduce poverty at the household level
and it should be an  integral part of poverty alleviation programmes.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/206330},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.206330},
}