Profile of Farmer Producer Company (Dairy based) Members in Kerala

Farmer producer companies, or FPCs, are considered to be institutions that have all the significant features of private enterprise while incorporating principles of mutual assistance in their mandate, like co-operatives. The efforts for finding socio economic profile of farmer producer company members in Kerala were carried out in five companies. From each companies 24 members were selected. Socio economic profile of company members was analyzed using frequency and percentage. Majority (64.17%) of the respondents belonged to middle age group, completed secondary education (58.33%), belonged to medium family size (79.17%) and owned marginal land size (74.14%). Majority of members were practicing dairy farming as main occupation (50%), had medium level of income (60%). Majority of members selling milk to the company (83.33%) and availed loan from commercial banks (70.83%). Among crop production problems, low price of farm produce is the major problem (91.67%) and in case of milk production problems, low price of milk (80.83%) was the major cause. Problems faced by farmers can be rectified through utilizing the services provided by farmer producer companies to some extent. Thus extension agencies and other government schemes should promote the formation of more farmer producer companies.