Pakistan J. Agric. Res. Vol. 26 No. 2, 2013 PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF CAMEL PRODUCTS IN SEMI- DESERT AND DESERT AREAS OF PAKISTAN Abid Hussain*, Khalid Mahmood Aujla* and Sonila Hassan** Abstract:- The study was designed to analyze the production and marketing of camel products in the semi-desert and desert areas of Pakistan. It is based on cross-sectional data collected through simple random sampling technique in April, 2011 from 220 camel farmers and 17 market intermediaries. It is found that both camel farmers and market intermediaries were less educated. It is observed that markets for camel milk, meat, hides and hair are less established in semi desert and desert areas of the country. Mean production of milk per farm household was 5.4 and 6.5 liters per day in summer and winter seasons, respectively; however, none of the surveyed farmers reported milk sale. During last one year, sales of camel hides and hair were reported by few farmers (6% each). Mean purchase price of camel hides reported by shopkeepers in nearby town markets were higher than village level prices by 74.6 % and even more in case of hair. This is an indicative of camel farmers' exploitation by the village dealers. Mean quantity of hair sales was about 20 kg per farm per annum. Camel hair are also used by the farmers for making ropes, rugs and blankets, but all these byproducts are not marketed. Shares of farmers in the consumer rupee for camel meat, milk, hides and hair were about 61%, 75%, 52% and 26%, respectively. Keeping in view poor status of camel products' markets, development of proper marketing system and structure for camel products by involving camel farmers and other local stakeholders is recommended to benefit the local communities by ameliorating supply of camel products in local markets. Key Words: Camel; Socio Economic Status; Products; Production; Marketing; Desert Areas; Semi-desert Areas; Pakistan. INTRODUCTION survival of other livestock does not seem possible, with surprisingly low Camel is an important animal inputs as most of the time they in the livestock herds of the country browse the tops of trees and shrubs. and is of great socioeconomic Thus, camels contribute significantly importance. They are mainly used as to the food security of the farmer pack/draft animal with milk, meat, households in these regions (Khan et hair and hides as products. Camels al., 2003). Moreover camels may be survive mostly in the difficult arid, used to combat the growing drought-stricken areas and moun- desertification in these areas (Raziq et tainous regions where the long-term al., 2008). * Social Sciences Division, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan. ** Social Sciences Research Institute, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Corresponding author: [email protected] 130 ABID HUSSAIN ET AL. Total camel population in the about 1.5 % of the total meat pro- Pakistan was about 1.00 million in duction and a small proportion of the 2010 (GoP, 2012). Camel farming meat consumption in the country. systems are changing over time, sed- However, in several African and Asian entary camel farming system is domi- countries, the consumption of camel nating transhumant and nomadic meat is between 5% and 50% of natio- camel farming systems (Aujla et al., nally produced red meat. The meat is 2012). Under transhumant and nom- usually eaten fresh, cooked in pieces adic camel farming systems, camel or minced, but is sometimes air dried. has almost no competition for feed Meat from camels is also used for with other animals as it is a hardy sausages, in all forms of its cooking animal and comparatively eats less and taste qualities are similar to (Ahmad et al., 2010). Camel can serve those made from beef. International the best useful addition to the food review of literature revealed that supply chain in terms of milk, meat camel market are not well developed and other products. Contribution of in the world except in Sudan, but camel milk in the total milk produc- lucrative export opportunities to tion in Pakistan is 1.8 % (818 thou- Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Gulf sand tons). Camel meat is also states exist (Khan et al., 2003). exported from Pakistan along with Aujla et al. (1998) studied socio- beef and mutton. Value of total meat economic profile of camel herders in exported by the country in 2008-09 Balochistan and stated that 26% - was US $ 74.4 million (GoP, 2012). 60% camel farmers reported to face Camel hides and hair are also used to exploitation by middlemen in mar- manufacture many useful by- keting of camel products at various products viz., ladies handbags, locations in the province. They spectacle jackets, wallets, shoes, further stated that markets for camel blankets, floor mats, tent cloth and products are poorly developed and ropes (Khan et al., 2003). In desert dominated by private sector. Better ecologies of the country, camel meat camel hus-bandry practices and is a special dish at large wedding marketing can improve the life of banquets and also served to highly farmers, who largely earn their living esteemed guests. Camel is also through raising camels. In spite of all becoming increasing popular as a the socioeconomic importance of the sacrificial animal at the occasion of camels, its potential for increasing Eid-ul-Azha (Ahmad et al., 2010). food supplies and family income in Mainly young animals are preferred desert and mountainous ecologies for slaughter on the occasion of Eid has almost been ignored by planners (Khan et al., 2003). Camel meat has and researchers. Information about been scored as high as or better than the production, use and marketing of beef by taste panels in the Arab camel products is necessary to access states. Even outside Arab states, the current status of marketing infra- meat from young camels has been structure, to improve the conditions graded as having the taste of prime and efficiency of these markets. This beef (Ahmad et al., 2010). In Pakistan study has therefore been designed to 50,000 t of camel meat is produced examine the marketing systems of annually (GoP, 2008), which makes camel products in the country. 131 MARKETING OF CAMEL PRODUCTS Specific objectives of this study were sion) from Punjab, Tharparkar and to describe the socioeconomic chara- Umarkot (Mirpurkhas Division) from cteristics of the farmers and market Sindh, Chagai (Quetta Division) and intermediaries; to study the produc- Kharan (Kalat Division) from Baloch- tion and disposal patterns of camel sitan and Dera Ismail Khan (Dera products; to find out sources of infor- Ismail Khan division) from Khyber mation of farmers about prices of Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). camel products; and to identify cons- The simple random sampling traints and recommend measures for technique was used to select the sam- improving production and marketing ple for the study. Sample size for this of camel products. study comprised 220 camel farmers; 70 from Balochistan, 63 from Punjab, MATERIALS AND METHOD 50 from Sindh and 37 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The sample size of the The study is mainly based on provinces were based on share of the cross-sectional data; moreover, provinces in total camel population of secondary information from various the country as well as on availability public sources and published litera- and willingness of the farmers for ture has also been amassed to sup- formal interviews. Farmers belonged port the findings of the field survey. A to Yazman, Chobara and Layyah set of questionnaire was prepared to talukas in Punjab; Mithi, Diplo, collect data from camel farmers and Umarkot, Chachro, and Nagarparkar various camel by-product dealers or in Sindh; Darban, Darazind and market intermediaries. The question- Paharpur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, naires were pre-tested in Bahawalpur and Chagai, Dalbadin and Kharan in district of Punjab province, so that Balochistan. These areas were selec- any important information should ted in consultation with local commu- not have missed. The data for this nities and agricultural extension study were collected in April, 2011. departments of the respective distr- Leading divisions by camel popu- icts. Moreover, to study the meat lation from all provinces, based on marketing, six butchers; one each camel population statistics given in from Layyah district (Punjab), Livestock Census (GoP, 2006) were Kharan district (Balochistan), Umar- selected for the study. Dera Ghazi kot (Sindh) and three from Dera Khan and Bahawalpur Divisions are Ismail Khan district (Khyber Pakh- leading ones by camel population in tunkhwa) were randomly inter- Punjab province. Mirpurkhas is a viewed. To study the hides marketing, leading division in Sindh province. six hide dealers; one from Umarkot Quetta and Kalat Divisions are district, two from Tharparkar district leading ones in Balochistan province. (Sindh) and three from Dera Ismail Dera Ismail Khan is the largest divi- Khan district (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) sion by camel population in Khyber were also randomly interviewed. Pakhtunkhwa. Seven districts from Furthermore, three milk shopkee- all provinces of the country were pers; one from Chagai district (Balo- surveyed for data collection viz., chistan) and two from Bahawalpur Layyah (Dera Ghazi Khan Division) district (Punjab) were randomly inter- and Bahawalpur (Bahawalpur Divi- viewed to study the milk marketing. 132 ABID HUSSAIN ET AL. To study the hair marketing two hair where, shopkeepers were also randomly NM = net margin, GM = gross interviewed from Dera Ismail Khan margin, MC = marketing cost. district (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Marketing cost includes shop SPSS package was used for rent, utility (electricity and telephone) data compilation and analysis. The bills and salaries of the hired workers descriptive analysis has been carried in case of camel meat; and it includes out to calculate the frequencies of the shop rent and expenditures on utility demographic characteristics and for bills in case of camel hair.