Milk Price: There is news of an upcoming increase in milk prices. The price of milk is expected to go up by 8 to 10 rupees, a decision that might be approved by the government today. This decision is set to be made in Karnataka during a meeting of the Karnataka Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Milk Price to Hike?
The meeting will likely cover proposals for raising both milk and bus fares. A previous cabinet meeting planned for last Thursday was postponed, but it is anticipated that the milk price increase proposal will be endorsed today. The cooperative milk producers unions in Karnataka have requested a hike in milk prices.
Under the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), 16 cooperative milk unions have appealed for a rise of around Rs 12 per liter in milk prices. The unions argue that the costs of animal feed and purchasing milk from farmers have been steadily increasing. They are urging the state government to approve the price hike to alleviate the financial strain on dairy farmers and milk unions. The unions are specifically asking for an 8 to 10 rupees per liter increase in procurement and retail prices of Nandini milk due to escalating input costs and production expenditures. Additionally, the cabinet meeting today is expected to address a proposal to adjust bus fares, which have remained unchanged for nearly two years, causing losses for the state’s transport corporations.
Demands Are Rising
A delegation from the milk unions recently met Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to present their demands. Shivakumar instructed officials to provide detailed information on the rise in animal feed prices over the past decade, the production cost of a liter of milk, milk production and sales data by district, and the milk quantities purchased by the unions. He also requested information on milk procurement and retail prices in neighboring states.
The reason behind the milk price hike lies in the significant increase in dairy farming costs, as stated by D.K. Suresh, chairman of the Bengaluru Urban, Rural, and Ramanagara District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Societies Union Limited. Suresh highlighted the rising expenses on animal feed, green fodder, medicines, and other maintenance requirements.
He mentioned that due to the ongoing drought, farmers are experiencing reduced incomes from crop losses, leading to challenges for dairy farmers due to a shortage of fodder. Suresh pointed out that while cooperative organizations and private dairies in many states have been raising milk and milk product prices, Karnataka’s unions have refrained from increasing milk prices for the past 18 months, considering consumers’ interests.