Understanding Value Addition in Indian Dairy Sector: Some Perspectives

Indian dairy sector has shown tremendous growth in terms of milk production, from 17 million tonnes (1950-51) to 112 million tonnes (2009-10). This transition from deficiency to sufficiency has been achieved by a series of policy interventions by the government. It has been found that in the first phase of ‘Operation Flood’, growth rate of value-added products was 0.93 per cent per annum, but in the third phase, it became 9.10 per cent per annum. Milk processing in India is around 35 per cent, of which the organized dairy industry accounts for only 13 per cent of the milk produced, the remaining 22 per cent is processed in the unorganized sector. To explore the diversity and market exploration for enhancing the value in milk, the study has identified the untapped demand of different dairy and dairy products in ethnically diversified rural urban groups. The paper has highlighted certain dairy development policies to encourage growth of the dairy sector. While value addition in milk is unavoidable if one has to enhance sector profitability, the same does not seem feasible unless the organized sector improves its penetration. Because, it is the involvement of the organized sector that will drive the growth by resorting to value addition in basic product and harnessing the consumer market. The mechanics of the organized sector penetration could be agency-specific as also area-specific.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Impact of Land Tenure System in Watershed Development Programmes in the Meghalaya State, North-East India

Besides the analysis of technical and ecological viability, knowledge of the existing land tenure systems is an essential pre-requisite for the success of watershed projects and policy reforms required for their effective implementation. Using descriptive analysis, Lorenz curve and Gini concentration ratio (GCR), this study has explained the relationship between the existing land tenure systems and the prospects for the success of watershed projects in the Meghalaya State, North-East India. The study has revealed that the Umsiang watershed project having community ownership system of tenure produced more positive changes in the landuse pattern after the project implementation than the Maweit watershed project practising individual ownership system. The area under jhum cultivation in the Umsiang watershed decreased significantly due to transformation of jhum sloppy lands into permanent contour cultivation. The area under horticulture plantations particularly fruit crops increased by 2118 per cent; afforested and aquaculture areas also increased by 296 and 2480 per cent, respectively after the project. The area under jhum cultivation in the Maweit watershed decreased only marginally (by 2%) and the area under permanent contour cultivation was negligible after the project. The absence of ownership rights to the tenants in the Maweit watershed has resulted in little incentive for the adoption of long-term development measures. The annual average income per household increased to Rs 40,227 (36% increase) in the Umsiang watershed and to Rs 36,313 (19% increase) in the Maweit watershed after the project. The offfarm income went up by 49 per cent in the Umsiang watershed and 38 per cent in the Maweit watershed. The watershed projects under the Community ownership system of land tenure would be more successful in increasing farm income and employment opportunities. The income inequality also decreased in the Umsiang watershed after the project as shown by Lorenz curve and GCR. But the gap between the rich and the poor in the Maweit watershed increased after the project. The study has clearly indicated that land tenure system is an important factor in the implementation of watershed projects successfully. Effective land reform policy would be essential for the successful implementation of watershed development programmes.Agricultural and Food Policy,

A Study on the Economics of Milk Processing in a Dairy Plant in Haryana

The economics of manufacturing of different dairy products, viz. ghee, full-cream milk, standardized milk, toned milk, double-toned milk, skimmed milk and ice-cream (processing only) have been reported. The study has been conducted in an ISO-9002 dairy plant situated in the north-eastern part of Haryana. It has been observed that all the products, except the double-toned milk are being produced above the recommended breakeven level. A comparison of unit manufacturing cost with unit price received by the plant for different products has revealed that ice-cream manufacturing has been the most profitable proposition among different dairy products, and standardized milk has provided the maximum profit margin among the milk pouches manufactured during the study period, 2000-01. The double-toned milk has revealed a loss. Therefore, the study has suggested that the quantity of double-toned milk production should be raised at least equal to the recommended break-even level to avoid losses, if there is a market demand for this product or the resources of this product could be shifted to some other profitable products.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Propagation of Spherical Magnetogasdynamic Shock in a Radiative Gas

In this paper the propagation of explosion waves, in a conducting gas, produced on account of a point explosion into inhomogeneous self-gravitating gas sphere is considered. Radiation effects have been taken into account and the density of the gas is assumed to vary as r/sup -alpha/, r being the distance from the point of explosion. In order that the mass and pressure be positive in the equilibrium state, the choice of alpha is restricted between 1 and 3. The variation of Mach number of the shock and energy of the wave with time have been taken into consideration

An Analytic Solution to the Propagation of Cylindrical Blast Waves in a Radiative Gas

In this paper, we have obtained a set of non-similarity in closed forms for the propagation of a cylindrical blast wave in a radiative gas. An explosion in a gas of constant density and pressure has been considered by assuming the existence of an initial uniform magnetic field in the axial direction. The disturbance is supposed to be headed by a shock surface of variable strength and the total energy of the wave varies with time

An Assessment of Economic Losses due to Avian Flu in Manipur State

The impact of 2007 outbreak of avian flu in the state of Manipur has been reported. The loss due to the disease has been found to be 14 per cent of the total value of livestock outputs in the entire state. More than 3 lakh birds were culled and 24 tonnes of poultry feed was destroyed post-flu. It has been found that the more affected were the producers and the input industry than traders and retailers. In dealing with such eventualities, compensation should be adequate and timely so as to ensure better compliance for effective control and stamping out of the disease. The study has suggested that the compensation rates may be fixed as per the prevailing economic condition of less-developed states like in the North-Eastern region, taking into consideration flock size, family size of farmers, proportion of income from poultry to total family income, level of nutritional security achieved from family poultry and border status of the state.Livestock Production/Industries,

Analysis of rainfall data for storage and irrigation planning in humid south-eastern plain of Rajasthan in India

A study was carried out to analyze the rainfall data for storage and irrigation planning under humid south-eastern region of Rajasthan using a time series record for 32-year (1980-2011) periods. It was observed that most of the years under observation were having adequate rainfall for all round the year crop production provided the water were collected during the rainy season. The area received 921.5 mm annual rainfall out of which 92% occurred during southwest monsoon (June-September) season. Of the total study period of 32 years, 19% were drought years, 66% were normal years and the remaining 15% were the abnormal years. The annual rainfall during the period showed negative trend (-6.955 mm/year). It showed decreasing trend (-7.782 mm/year) during the month of August and positive trends with 0.864, 3.909 and 1.192 mm/year, respectively, during month of June, July and September. The analysis generally showed that water deficit appeared during the period of November up till May and rain water was excess during the period of June up till September. During these months, rain water can be stored with the help of rainfall harvesting system. If only 50% of total rain water is collected, it forms approximately 44.16 lacs litres of water on a unit hectare basis of land. This rainfall water will be adequate for all rounds the year crop production with conservation of rain water and judicious use of rain water resources

Thermal requirements, growth and yield of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] genotypes under different agroclimatic zones of Punjab

A field experiment was carried out at four locations i.e. Ludhiana, Bathinda, Faridkot and Gurdaspur to study the influence of diverse environments on symbiotic traits, thermal requirements, growth in terms of plant height (cm) and yield (kg/ha) of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] genotypes under different agroclimatic zones of Punjab. Results indicated that crop sown on 15 May recorded the higher grain yield than later sowing dates of 1 June and 15 June at all the locations; 15 May sowing provided 23.3, 22.1 and 46.7% higher grain yield over 1 May, 1 June and 15 June sowing, respectively. Early sown crop acquired higher agro-climatic indices than delayed sowings. The crop sown on 15 May provided the maximum gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio as evident from the additional income of Rs 13599, 13040 and 22865 Rs/ha over 1 May, 1 June and 15 June sowing, respectively. Among the genotypes, AL 201 at Ludhiana and Gurdaspur, AL 1578 at Bathinda and PAU 881 at Faridkot resulted in the highest grain yield and maximum returns. The genotype AL 201 took more days to 50% flowering and maturity at all the locations. It can be concluded that 15 May is the optimum sowing date and AL 201 and PAU 881 are the promising genotypes for providing high productivity of pigeonpea under different agroclimatic zones of Punjab

Spatial price integration and price transmission among major fish markets in India

The domestic fish marketing system in India deserves to be developed into a strong network of efficiently functioning markets, as more than three-fourths of the country’s total fish production is channellised domestically. With the unleashing of a new global economic order, the efficiency of markets needs to be dealt with utmost importance. The degree of spatial market integration and price transmission between the major coastal markets in India have been reported using monthly retail price data on important marine fish species. It has been observed that degree of integration and rate of price transmission differ according to species. The highest integration has been observed in mackerel, probably because of its affordability to all income classes, resulting in a wide consumer base. Among various markets, a near full transmission of prices has been observed between Kerala and Tamil Nadu markets, except in the case of shrimp. Even though a major landing centre, the price movement in Maharashtra market has been found independent of other markets. The spatial market integration between major shrimp markets in the country has appeared to be the least, possibly because of its greater market share outside the country. The study has suggested to devise strategies to bring about greater integration between these markets so that both fishermen and the fish-consuming community in the country are benefitted.Marketing,

Hydrogen production using waste aluminium dross: from industrial waste to next-generation fuel

ArticleThis article describes the production of hydrogen from white aluminium dross, an industrial waste generated in the aluminium smelter plants. Hydrogen is generated by metal-water reaction between aluminium and water in presence of alkalis like sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. Aluminium dross is described as a heterogeneous material with its major constituents being metallic aluminium, alumina and other salt fluxes like NaCl and KCl. Utilizing the metallic aluminium content entrapped in the matrix of alumina for the metal-water reaction has been the driving force for the waste recycling and simultaneous hydrogen production. Bulk aluminium dross was crushed and downsized. The finer fraction of the powdered aluminium dross is used for the experiments. The effects of dross in the alkaline solution, temperature of the solution and the time of the reaction were studied to understand the generation of hydrogen. The alkaline solution breaks the protective layer of alumina and exposes the entrapped aluminium content to water, thereby commencing the hydrogen liberation