Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles and must carry
liability insurance. The Internet is proving to be a profi t-
able outlet for sale of goat products; with minimal entre-
preneurial creativity, it can provide a signifi cant source of
revenue for producers.
Two of the strongest dairy goat cooperatives currently
operating include the Ontario Dairy Goat Cooperative
(2009) and the New Zealand Dairy Goat Cooperative
(2009). The New Zealand goat cooperative is a farmer-
owned cooperative that manufactures and markets prod-
ucts derived from goat milk. Although dairy goat
associations do offer some benefi t, they have not been
shown to be as effective as cooperatives in increasing
members ' business profi tability. There are several dairy
goat associations in Australia, the U.S., and Europe. In
these associations, farmers either sell to processors or
process their own cheese and then sell directly to consum-
ers or specialized stores. The U.S. market for goat milk
products, similar to that of goat meat, is characterized by
consumers who are unfamiliar with goat milk and cheese
products. Consequently, aside from select supermarkets
and natural food stores that carry goat cheese, the current
market for dairy goat products is poorly established and
grossly underdeveloped. To achieve success in this market,
goat milk producers should develop market plans that
focus on increasing market share by emphasizing the
health benefi ts of goat milk as an alternative to cow milk.
Goat milk has many highly marketable attributes including
the fact that it is easy to digest, naturally homogenized,
and hypoallergenic for infants and adults. These attributes
confer a signifi cant competitive advantage against cow
milk should be leveraged in goat milk promotion efforts.
Currently, the American Dairy Goat Association is working
with farmer organizations to organize and expand market
outlets for goat milk. Individual farmers should also
prepare and be equipped to provide an adequate supply to
meet the new and growing demand.
Goat fi ber, namely mohair and cashmere, represent the
two most expensive and luxurious fi bers on the world
market. Several countries including China, the U.S., and
South Africa are currently producing these fi bers (Jensen,
1992). In this arena, producers generally sell directly to
processors at prices that are infl uenced by supply and
demand in the world market as a whole.
Earlier in this chapter, mention was made of the varia-
tion found in goat production and marketing strategies
across markets. The following section will provide further
insight into this variation by comparing activities in differ-
ent markets associated with goat meat, dairy, and fi ber
products. These examples depict the three major scenarios
that currently exist in the goat industry and demonstrate
how cultural, traditional, and economic factors can infl u-
ence a farmer's optimal choice of production and market-
ing activities. For meat products, information provided by
Kebede (2005) is used to demonstrate the Southeastern
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN
GOAT PRODUCTS MARKETS
The largest global goat-producing and -consuming coun-
tries are found in Asia and Africa. However, export
markets in these countries are limited by strict interna-
tional standards and the absence of developed marketing
structures. To capitalize on the growing international
demand for goat products, these countries must develop
strategies to meet the international standards, which cur-
rently limit the success of their operations. Countries that
have adapted to existing regulations, including Australia
and New Zealand, have become the leading exporters
of goat meat. Australia is currently positioned as the
leading exporter with goat meat exports to more than 25
countries, including the U.S., and live goat exports to 15
countries (FAO, 2009). In Asia, Africa, Australia, and
New Zealand, goat meat is produced on both a large and
small scale, while the U.S. holds only small-scale produc-
tion facilities.
Goat milk and fi ber production have a signifi cant pres-
ence in many countries throughout the world. Although
marketing strategies have been shown to vary across dif-
ferent markets, the objective of achieving profi tability has
remained universal and continues to account for the current
variation in marketing strategies.
Goat milk continues to be used worldwide for produc-
tion of cheese, various food products, ice cream, skin
care products including lotions, and soap as well as other
products. The dairy goat industry in Europe is well estab-
lished with France representing one of the top global
exporters of goat cheese. Australia and New Zealand carry
a small but thriving goat milk industry with Australia's
dairy goat industry being relatively small but geographi-
cally diverse. The industry is well positioned to service
the increasing demand for exotic cheeses and goat milk
as an alternative to cow milk. In response to the small
size of individual production units, goat milk producers
have established associations and cooperatives to promote
the goat milk industry. These organizations effi ciently
promote compliance to regulations by providing its
members with processing and marketing operations that
achieve economies of scale, resulting in a homogenous
end-product that consistently meets the highest quality
standards.
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