A total of 123 sample respondents was selected using two stage random sampling procedure to collect primary data via interview-based questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools and econometrics models (Probit mode). Results revealed that, 58.54% of the respondents did not participate in cow milk market supply, while 41.46% participated in the milk market by supplying different quantities of cow milk during the survey period. Probit analysis indicates, that the probability of households to participate in milk market was very low, which accounts for nearly 32%. From a total of nine explanatory variables incorporated in the model education status (0.242), number of milking cows (0.065), access to market information (0.396) and availability of pastures (0.412) had positive influence, while distance to the nearest market (-0.076) and family size (-0.103) had negative influence on participation decision of households in milk market. It is recommended that producers must follow other sources of feeding and efficiently manage open access pasture areas. Government should endeavor to provide formal market infrastructures, while producers should organize themselves into cooperatives for assembling, storage and facilitative marketing function in order to maximize benefits from their milk output.

Keywords: Milk market, Participation decision, Milk producers, Market information.