Milk purchase prices to rise

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to increase the rates of milk purchased from the farmers to placate the ones who had gone on a strike recently. A high power ministerial meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday has decided a hike of Rs 3 per litre in hike for both cow and buffalo milk. It has also directed milk producing cooperative dairies to not burden it on the consumers.

The Maharashtra government had assured the agitating farmers that they would hike the milk purchasing rates. As of now, the government and cooperative dairies are purchasing cow milk for Rs 24 per litre and buffalo milk for Rs 33 per litre.

Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar, irrigation minister Girish Mahajan, cooperative minister Subhash Deshmukh, dairy minister Mahadev Jankar and transport minister Divakar Raote were also present in the meeting chaired by CM to decide the hike in prices.

After the hike, the cow milk will be purchased at Rs 27 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs 36 per litre. The decision will be implemented from June 21.

Dairy minister Mr Jankar called it historical decision. He said, “For the third time since the inception of our government, we have given a hike in purchasing rates. Almost Rs 7 have been increased in the last two and a half years. CM Fadnavis had assured the farmer organisations about the hike in milk rates and our government has fulfilled that word.”

While giving relief to the farmers, the state government has also given strict instructions to the dairies for not putting this burden on the final consumers. “Though the purchasing rates have been increased, the consumers won’t have to shell out extra money. The selling price will remain the same. We have given these directions to all the cooperatives and government dairies,” said Mr Jankar.

When asked specifically about what if these dairies hiked the selling rates, Mr Jankar said, “We will take strict action against them.”

Decision on milk purchasing

• High power committee has also taken three important decisions about milk purchasing farmers.
• Farmers will now get their money directly in their bank account and they will not have to go to members of local dairies for their rightful money.
• Every year, the milk purchasing rates will be increased according to the inflation rate.
• The committee will check whether it is possible to keep rates of milk of all agencies similar. The government will try to bring rates of government, cooperative and private dairies on same level.