Marketing of Branded Diary Milk Products in Gulbarga District in Karnataka – A Survey of Consumers and Milk Vendors

Abstract

Man and milk animal lived in proximity and their relationship dates back to the origin of civilization. Prior to urbanization, the usual practice was to consume milk in its fresh form or after simple processing. The extra milk used to be converted into short – term conserved products or puddings that were consumed in a phased and leisurely manner. But the urbanization alienated the modern man from the milk animal away from each other resulting in the need for processing and packaging of milk and its products. The place of human dietary system itself indicated the importance of milk as well as its by products. India has a predominant vegetarian population. So milk and milk products have a significant place in diet of many people. As Indian are fully aware of the food value of milk, dairy products occupy a central place in our economy. The Indian dairy sector has an annual production of 70 million metric tones and it is the second largest in the world next to USA. Milk accounts for more than 17 percent of agricultural production and it is also our second largest food expenditure and it forms 7 to 8 percent of the total per capita income.