COOPERATIVE DAIRYING IN MAHARASHTRA - LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

Through milk production in Maharashtra over last decade has increased by leaps and bounds, only 25 per cent of the milk co-operatives are ec onomically viable in the state. Differential price structure and misma nagement of co-operatives has led to poor procurement of milk resultin g in vast regional imbalances in terms of milk production. For the smo oth functioning of the milk co-operatives, it is not enough to give re munerative prices to the producers, but the co-operatives themselves s hould take over the onerous task of ensuring necessary inputs so as to improve productivity and overall genetic stock of milch animals.