Willingness to Pay for Annual Health Care Services in Small Ruminants: The Case of South India

A study was undertaken in southern peninsular State of India, the Tamil Nadu State, to assess the farmers' 'Willingness To Pay' (WTP) for annual health care services in small ruminants. The districts of the State were categorized as 'Livestock Developed' (LD) and 'Livestock Under Developed' (LUD) based on initial base line developed. Contingent Valuation (CV) approach was used to study the farmers' maximum WTP value for two types of health care services: (a) providing animal health care services at government veterinary centres, (b) extending animal health care services at farmers' door steps. A Payment Card (PC) format was used to assess the farmers' maximum WTP for ensuring health care services to sheep and goat. The Maximum Likelihood Interval technique was used on interval midpoints. The farmers were willing to pay a maximum of INR 56.34 and INR 61.61 for availing health services to their sheep and goat, respectively, by in-centre services, while they were ready to offer INR 87.49 and INR 95.27 for the animal health services delivered at doorsteps. The mean maximum WTP value was found to be more for goats than sheep, postulated both in-centre and home services. Of the factors incorporated in the in-centre service model for sheep, age of respondent, livelihood share of livestock, number of sheep and VLU owned and distance from nearest public veterinary centre were found to significantly influence the WTP values. Unlike sheep, age of respondent, VLU possession, distance of the public veterinary centre and district versatility had a significant role in determining WTP values in goats. WTP values in sheep for home service were found to be significantly predisposed by all the significant factors of in-centre services model, except number of sheep owned. Similarly, in goat the age of respondent turned to be insignificant in home services model. The results indicated that the people were willing to pay more for getting their small ruminants adequately protected from diseases and treated at once with quality services.