The Role of Milk Collecting Centers in Socio-Economic Situation of Dairy Animal Keepers

Abstract

Most of the poor people in developing countries live in rural areas. Experience shows that in many<br />countries animal husbandry development and increasing investment specially is a way to challenge<br />the poverty in rural areas. This is obvious that, small producers have key role in dairy markets and<br />dairy development but they have no power to bargain and negotiate for higher prices, access to the<br />marketing, and up to date their knowledge and skills. They have few animals with low milk<br />production and low quality. In these situations, cooperatives are best choice to organizing<br />smallholder milk producers. With such organization smallholder milk producers are able to<br />increase their competition power. Milk collecting centers as a place to implementing this purpose<br />can play a big role. These centers in the production stage can help smallholder milk producers to<br />have access to the dairy animals with high quality, feeds, veterinary and other supplies. This<br />centers in the marketing stage, with adopting politics for example punishment and rewards politics,<br />and preparing training courses help to improve milk quality and to reduce milk microbial. This<br />article investigates the role of milk collecting center to improve smallholder milk producer's<br />situation, and their conditions in the Esfahan area.