Milk Products: An Alternative Route to Boost Tribal Economy: A Case Study of Gujjar and Bakarwals of Jammu & Kashmir, India

Abstract

The pastoral nomadic community of Gujjar and Bakarwals, in India's northern most state of Jammu and Kashmir, is always on the move, from the plains to the mountains in summer and from mountains to plains in winter, along with herds of livestock, which is its mainstay. The vast treasure trove of cows and buffaloes and goats and sheep has always been a critical resource for the tribe, providing them with dairy proteins in their diet, labour and manure for their fields and yes, surplus income through sale of milk and its by-products. Milk available in each house is more than the family requirement but there is no resource of sale to the market. While in plains, getting away with the surplus milk is no big an issue as it gets sold in the nearby towns and cities but while in the higher reaches, the milk from the cattle is in plenty, given the fresh nutritious grass, it gets to eat. Moreover, it isn't too easily feasible for them to either consume all or transport back in their villages and ultimately to the towns and cities, which hold a good market for this white gold. Thus the ‘marketable surplus' opens up a window of opportunities to strengthen them economically and boosting the economy of the state. The present investigation is an attempt to throw light on milk products that are far less perishable and are economically equally paying. This study also offers certain suggestions that can streamline the dairy economy of Gujjars and Bakarwals and at the same time ascertain that the milk-potential is tapped properly.