Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on various stakeholders associated with dairy food supply chain in Karnataka, India- An evidence based study

Abstract

The present study assessed the disruptions in thedairy food supply chain and associated stakeholders due toCOVID-19 in Karnataka, India. A cross-sectional survey using amultistage random sampling procedure was conducted and datawas collected from the dairy food supply chain associatedstakeholders in Karnataka, India. The results revealed that milkproviders to the co-operatives increased by 4.67 % and thequantity of milk collection increased by 25.15 % during thelockdown. On the service front, 41.3% of the dairy co-operativesocieties faced animal feed shortage. The average per day milkconsumption increased by 42.7 % during lockdown mainly drivenby the return of family members from cities to villages. However,the gross income realized through milk sales by the dairy farmersdecreased during the lockdown period mainly due to reducedmilk prices offered by the co-operatives. The gross income realizedthrough the sale of milk products by the vendors declined by5.11% due to a fall in demand for various milk products. Despitemany problems faced by the co-operative sector during thelockdown, it acted as a buffer and protected the dairy food supplychain from the free market and capitalist breakdown in Karnataka