ABSTRACT
Under Operation Flood, the national replication of “Anand-pattern” dairy co-ops has continued for more than two decades. Questioning the policy of advocating one pattern for all regions, the author suggests that other types of co-ops can also provide valuable lessons for dairy development. For example, there is the Choryasi Cooperative, in Surat, which is more than 50 years old. While there are striking similarities in the emergence of the Choryasi and Anand cooperatives, there are also major differences in their scale, technology, and organization.
Choryasi performs impressively by comparison with the Anand-pattern Sumul dairy, which is located in the same city and enjoys financial support from Operation Flood. Choryasi pays higher procurement prices to its producer-members, and consumers are willing to pay more for Choryasi milk because it is fresher and its fat content is higher. Choryasi pays more to producers because it keeps overhead costs to a minimum, while Sumul has to spend a lot on transporting milk from far-flung areas and on sophisticated processing technology. Choryasi’s smaller size also facilitates greater participation by members in its day-to-day functioning.
It is important to note that Choryasi’s success is entirely due to its own efforts and resources. Unlike the Anand-pattern cooperatives, it has never received loans, grants, or subsidies from any national or international agency.
