This study investigates the marketing of livestock products in India, with particular emphasis on the role of cooperatives in linking rural producers to formal markets. Using nationally representative unit-level data from the 77th round of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households (2018–19), we analyze marketing channels for cattle milk, buffalo milk, and eggs across all major Indian states. The study integrates three analytical approaches: descriptive analysis of channel shares and prices received by producers; a binary logit regression to identify the socio-economic and institutional determinants of cooperative participation; and a policy simulation framework that adjusts for the survey’s measurement limitations by incorporating breed-specific productivity, quality-based pricing, cost structures, and channel-specific risk from published secondary sources. Results demonstrate that most livestock products are marketed through informal channels, and that cooperative participation is selective, principally determined by education, social identity, housing quality, and access to institutional services rather than farm size or wealth. When posted prices are adjusted for omitted factors, cooperative net margins per litre frequently match or exceed those of unorganized alternatives, especially where cooperative service delivery is substantive. Findings underscore the importance of improved survey design, targeted inclusion strategies, and cooperative infrastructure investment for achieving inclusive and efficient livestock marketing systems in India.
Mondal et al. (2026) studied this question.