A SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDY ON SMALL SCALE RURAL DAIRY FARMS AT SOME SELECTED AREAS OF CHAKARIA UPAZILA UNDER COX’S BAZAR DISTRICT

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the socio-economic performances of semi intensive rural dairy farming system to submit an internship production report for partial fulfillment of awarding DVM degree from FVM in CVASU. From April-May 2023, this study was conducted during internship placement at ULDC hospital at Chakoria Upazila. The selected villages was Betuarkul from Bheola Manikchar, Rampur from Saharbil, Kuchpara from Chiringa, Soaliapara from Kaiarbil, and Akbaria para from Purba Bara Bheola union under Chakaria Upazilla. During collection of data mainly collected the general profiles of the dairy farmers and data regarding assessing cost and returns of dairy enterprises. Ten (10) dairy farms were selected under LDDP project dividing two categories where 5 was small scale having less than 5 cow’s category-I and other having 5-10 dairy cow as category-II for collection of data for this study. The study result’s indicated that, most of the dairy farmers possessed almost same social status except few one which are summarized and indicated in Table-1. The main specific objectives were assessing farm profitability like as Gross Margin, Gross Return and Net Return per cow per lactation. The estimated GM, GR and NP per cow per lactation was estimated at Tk.52,000, Tk. 62,247; Tk. 20,000, and Tk.34,287, respectively. The Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) were accounted for category –I and Category-II type of dairy enterprises and it was found 1.50:1 and 1.34:1, respectively which indicated dairy enterprising is a profitable agribusiness in the study areas. The study identified some crucial problems of raising dairy cows in the study areas like as high prices of feeds & fodder, low prices of milk, scarcity of quality feeds & fodders, conception failure, variation in market demand of produced milk and inputs, insufficient vet. Care & services, occurrences of diseases distance of A.I. point, lack of training & extension work, fraudulent practice by milk traders and daily labours, non-availability of good bull/semen, lack of credit facilities and feed poising and mineral deficiency. Finally, suggested here few policy recommendations for making dairying as sustainable and profitable agribusiness in the study areas