PROFITABILITY IN MILK-PRODUCTION IN OPERATION FLOOD AREAS OF ASSAM

The data on 850 stall-fed Jersey grades (Jersey x local) maintained as marginal, lower, medium, upper medium and large unit size in 'operati on flood' areas of Assam. were analysed to study the profitability in milk production by taking into consideration various costs and return traits. The analysis revealed that overall mean of total return, total feed cost, ROFC, return from milk, milk yield, total fixed cost, tota l variable cost, ROVC, and total cost including and excluding unpaid ( family) labour/animal a year were Rs 19 262.49, Rs 12 062.99, Rs 7 199 .59, Rs 18 018.03, 2 023.58 litres, Rs 2 159.03, Rs 14 929.59, Rs 4 33 2.90 and Rs 17 088.62 and Rs 15 611.43 respectively. While the feed co st efficiency, FC : VC, variable cost/litre, price/litre of milk, brea k-even output, per cent of break-even output to total output, and inpu t-output ratio including and excluding unpaid labour were recorded as 59.68% 1 :6.91,Rs 7.38, Rs 8.90, 1 420.41 litres, 70.19 and 1.13 and 1 .23 respectively. The lower unit size was more profitable in study are as in comparison to other unit sizes. Therefore it may be concluded th at dairying with at least '4' numbers of high yielding Jersey graded c ows is an economically viable and profitable proposition in Assam.