Growth of the dairy sector in Karnataka and the socio-economic impact of public support programs: A district-level evaluation from Mysuru

The dairy sector plays a pivotal role in agricultural growth and rural livelihoods in Karnataka, supported by cooperative institutions and sustained public investment. Despite substantial growth in milk production and institutional capacity, the extent to which this expansion has translated into tangible socio-economic benefits for dairy farmers remains insufficiently examined. Existing research predominantly addresses aggregate growth patterns or programme-specific outcomes, offering limited integrated evidence linking sectoral growth with farmer welfare at the regional level. This study examines dairy sector growth in Karnataka and evaluates the socio-economic impact of public support programmes with special reference to Mysuru district. Using secondary data on production trends and primary survey data from 385 dairy farmers, the analysis employs descriptive statistics, growth measures, welfare indices, and inferential techniques. The findings reveal that public interventions have significantly contributed to productivity enhancement, income stability, and asset formation among dairy farmers, although benefits are uneven across farmer categories due to institutional and access-related constraints. By integrating macro-level growth analysis with micro-level welfare assessment in a district-specific context, the study provides policy-relevant insights for promoting inclusive and welfare-oriented dairy development.