Economics of Sheep and Poultry in Kashmir Valley - Propspects and Opportunities

Abstract

In recent times people in Kashmir Valley are shying away from keeping sheep and poultry owing to risk and laborious work involved with this trade, but it has been proved that these two enterprises are profitably viable and remunerative. Moreover the domestic supply of sheep and poultry is insufficient as well as inadequate to cater to the domestic demand despite having the world’s best meadows and pastures. Against this backdrop a study on economics of sheep and poultry in Kashmir Valley was undertaken. The findings of the study revealed that these two enterprises are profitable and offer ample scope for employment generation in Kashmir Valley. The economic analysis in terms of cost and return, Benefit-cost ratio indicated that sheep and poultry farming is economically viable. Benefit-cost ratio in sheep was found out to be 1.30:1 and in poultry it was computed as 1.26:1. Marketing of sheep and poultry has been largely in the hands of private enterprises. Three marketing channels each were found in the sheep and poultry sector. Among sheep sector channel no. III (Producer-Retailer-Consumer) was having the highest producers share in consumers rupee (82.85 per cent) and highest index of marketing efficiency (5.83). In poultry channel no. I (Producer Retailer-Consumer) was having highest producers share in consumers rupee (76.47 per cent) and highest index of marketing efficiency (4.25). Production and marketing led constraints were also studied.