The Financial Sustainability of Goat Rearing In Shirdi Taluka, Maharashtra

Abstract Goat farming in rural areas has a huge potential to reduce poverty and create jobs for small, marginal, and landless farmers. Goats are peaceful, little animals that are easy for women and kids to raise. They also take up less space in homes. Because goat meat has more protein and less fat, it is highly demanded by all communities and is not considered taboo in any religion. The market is more expensive for goat meat. Goat dung and urine are excellent sources of phosphate, potassium, and nitrogen. Goat farming is not growing as quickly as it should due to certain production limits, even if there is a high demand and a good market price for goats. Raising goats, commonly referred to as the "poor man's cow," is a custom that has long existed in India, especially among small and marginal farmers. This study, conducted in Dec 2024, investigates the profitability of goat rearing in Shirdi Taluka of Maharashtra. Data were collected from 42 goat rearers, categorized into small, medium, and large flock sizes. The total cost per flock per annum was Rs 182,050.42 for large units, Rs 358,544.62 for medium units, and Rs 426,346.36 for small units, with the overall cost being Rs 105,723.77. Variable costs accounted for a significant portion of the expenses, with gross returns highest in large units at Rs 120,26.85, followed by Rs 10,452.51 in medium units, and Rs 9,470.9 in small units. The net profit was Rs 3,395.46 in small units, Rs 3,415.94 in medium units, and Rs 3,534.26 in large units, with an overall net profit of Rs 2,330.11 per goat unit. The output-input ratio was 1.60 in large units, 1.48 in medium units, and 1.37 in small units, indicating that larger units were more profitable.