Market Orientation of Women Dairy Farmers of Kerala

Abstract

The study explores the status of women dairy farmers of Kerala state with respect to marketing  variables that have a significant effect on their entrepreneurial behavior. The variables studied include  the extent of utilization of marketing facilities, credit orientation and competition orientation. The study  was conducted among 153 women dairy farmers, selected through the process of multistage random  sampling from Ernakulam, Palakkad, and Thrissur districts of the state. Sharp contrasts with regard to  the level of market utilization was observed among farmers with different herd sizes, while higher levels  of market utilization were observed among around sixty percent of respondents with larger herd size.  None of the respondents with small herd size had high level market facilities utilization. Extent of  utilization of market facilities was positively and significantly associated with entrepreneurial behavior  of the respondents. Similarly, respondents with larger herd sizes had significantly higher competition  orientation scores when compared to those with smaller herd sizes. Most of the respondents in this study  fell in the medium level of credit orientation. However, non-significant correlation was observed between  credit orientation and entrepreneurial behavior. None of the respondents with more than two cows had  low level of competition orientation. Most of the respondents fell in the medium level of competition  orientation. Competition orientation was positively and significantly correlated with entrepreneurial  behavior of the respondents.