9. Role of Dairying in Diversification of Indian Agriculture

This chapter argues that diversification of agriculture is imperative to ensure, among others, nutritional security and smooth flow of rural income stream. While value of agriculture output is highly volatile, value of livestock output in general and value of milk output in particular is steady and stable. Dairy sector is one of the main drivers of growth of Indian agriculture. The importance of this sector cannot be over-emphasised in the context of diversification of agriculture. Demand-led white revolution made rapid strides in majority of Indian states but largely by-passed eastern region. While most of the states registered shift in the composition of livestock in favour of dairy stock, the eastern states did not witness perceptible shift in its composition. The study brings to the fore that preponderance of low yielding indigenous cattle in dairy herd has adversely influenced the participation of this region in white revolution. Inadequate infrastructure has also caused untold damage to the growth of dairy sector and consequently non-diversification of agriculture. However, limited yet satisfactory induction of crossbreeding programme of cattle in the region indicates huge growth potential for dairy development. It does without saying that upgradation of indigenous cattle if not the exotic crossbreeding programme in a big way will place dairy sector on fast growth trajectory and go a long way in diversification on agriculture in the region.