Milk price to be hiked by Rs 2

Pune: There will be a hike of Rs 2 in the price of cow milk produced by all private and cooperative daires in Pune. The price of cow milk will be increased from Rs 42 to Rs 44 from June 8. This announcement was made at a press conference of Maharashtra Milk Producers and Processors Association held in city on Tuesday.

Due to prevailing drought condition in Maharashtra and lack of availability of cattle feed, Maharashtra Milk Producers and Producers’ Association have also demanded subsidy from the State government of Rs 5 for the dairy farmers.

“Due to the drought condition in Maharashtra, the cattle feed has become costlier and also scarce. Therefore, the government should provide Rs 5 subsidy to the farmers while the dairy owners continue to pay Rs 25 to the farmers,” said Maharashtra Milk Producers and Processors Association President Vinayak Patil in a press conference held in the city on Tuesday.

State government used to pay Rs 5 subsidy to the dairy farmers of Maharashtra while the dairy owners have to pay Rs 20 to them. With the increase in price of Skimmed Milk Powder and white butter, the government has stopped giving subsidies to the farmers from May 1.
However, as reported by Sakal Times on May 29, Dairy Development Department of the State had appealed to private and cooperative dairies of the State to give farmers Rs 25 per litre. Therefore, dairy owners of Maharashtra have decided to pay farmers Rs 25 per litre from June 1. 

They have also urged the government not to take strict actions against milk producers regarding the use of plastic till new alternatives are available. Maharashtra Milk Producers and Processors Association Chairman Vishnu Hinge urged everyone to make generous donations for fodder camps to help the farmers overcome the drought situation.