Interdependence Among Sectors
No sector can survive alone. The Primary sector provides raw materials, the Secondary sector processes them, and the Tertiary sector moves and sells them. This relationship is called interdependence.
We will explore this through two fascinating stories: the story of AMUL and the story of Paper.
Case Study 1: The AMUL Story (Dairy Cooperative)
Location: Anand, Gujarat Context: Before 1946, farmers were exploited by middlemen who bought milk at low prices and sold it for high profits. Milk is perishable (spoils quickly), so farmers had no choice but to sell quickly.
The Rise of the Cooperative
Under the advice of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the farmers formed a Cooperative.
- Tribhuvandas Patel (Lawyer/Freedom Fighter) and Dr. Varghese Kurien (Engineer) led this movement.
- Result: Farmers stopped selling to middlemen and collectively managed their own milk collection, processing, and sale. This became AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited).
Note
What is a Cooperative? A group of people who voluntarily come together to meet their economic and social needs. They own the organization and make decisions collectively.
Sector Analysis of AMUL
The success of AMUL shows how all three sectors combine to create value:
-
Primary Sector (Production):
- Farmers rearing cows and buffaloes.
- Milking the animals (Natural biological process).
-
Secondary Sector (Processing):
- Pasteurisation: Heating milk to kill bacteria and preserve it.
- Manufacturing: Factories converting liquid milk into butter, ghee, cheese, and milk powder.
-
Tertiary Sector (Support):
- Logistics: Trucks and trains transporting milk to cities.
- Retail: AMUL parlors and shops selling products.
- Export: Selling products to other countries.
Case Study 2: From Tree to Textbook
The book you are reading right now is also a result of sector interdependence.
- Primary: Forestry workers cut down trees to get wood.
- Tertiary: Trucks transport the logs to the mill.
- Secondary: The mill processes wood into pulp and then into paper.
- Secondary: A printing press prints the text onto the paper.
- Tertiary: The books are sent to bookstores where you buy them.
Recycling Awareness
Using paper judiciously is important.
- Recycling 1 tonne of paper saves 17 trees.
- It uses 70% less energy than making new paper.
Tip
Activity: Label the activities in your daily life. The bus driver taking you to school is in the Tertiary sector, but the fuel in the bus came from the Primary sector (oil drilling) and was refined in the Secondary sector (refinery).