Abstract
The objective of this study was to know the existing buffalo milk trade and dairy products production status along with scope for buffalo milk product branding. Hence, a face-to-face interview with eighteen milk traders and processors were performed through simple random sampling method. Milk traders and processors were above 25 years old (94%) and above 5 years (89%) experienced in dairy business. The findings exposed that 11% of the participants were involved in milk collection and selling, 39% were directly involved in product manufacturing, and 50% were engaged in milk collection and processing. Among the manufactured dairy products, traditionally made fermented doi was the best - selling dairy product in the Bhola district. About 47% participants desired to incorporate fat-rich dairy products into their production processes. In general, milk traders sold the maximum amount of milk monthly to doi manufacturers (1453 L), followed by local customers (1175 L), sweetmeat manufacturers (1000 L), restaurants (257 L), and household consumers (250 L). Results showed that buffalo milk prices varied significantly (P<0.001) over the year. The peak buffalo milk price (122 BDT/L) was recorded between November and December, and the off-peak price (82 BDT/L) was between March to May. Data indicated that about 43-50 BDT profit derived through per kg doi and sweetmeat selling. Milk traders and processors mentioned that studied areas had greater shortage of milk preservation facilities. Overall, the findings of this study may give some context for developing sustainable buffalo milk and dairy products value chain in Bangladesh.
 Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.8(3): 301-310, December 2021
Highlights
Buffalo is one of the most important livestock species and holds an important place in the overall livestock economy of Bangladesh (Sarkar et al, 2013)
Results revealed that 11% of participants were involved in milk collection and selling, 39% were directly associated with product manufacturing, and 50% were involved in milk collection and processing
Doi was the most popular as well as best-selling dairy product, and buffalo milk doi was produced alone comprising 50% of the total dairy products produced in the Bhola district
Summary
Buffalo is one of the most important livestock species and holds an important place in the overall livestock economy of Bangladesh (Sarkar et al, 2013). The native buffaloes of Bangladesh are Bubalus bubalis, with most of the population being riverine, except for some swamp buffaloes in the eastern part of the country. Farmers reared buffaloes under extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive management systems at coastal, river-basin, and semi-arid areas of Bangladesh, focusing on milk and meat production (Habib et al, 2017). The total buffalo population in Bangladesh is approximately 1.493 million, with coastal regions accounting for ≈40% (DLS, 2020). Dairy buffalo production has been a tradition in Bangladesh, especially in the Bhola district. Bhola is the largest island known as buffalo concentrated belt in Bangladesh owing to the coastal region (Habib et al, 2021). Buffalo, sheep, and goats contribute to national milk production (10.67 MMT) in Bangladesh, where buffalo share 4-5% of the national milk grid (DLS, 2020)
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