Another Blow To Consumers, Cow Milk Price Hiked In Pune
Another Blow To Consumers, Cow Milk Price Hiked In Pune
Consumers will now have to pay ₹56 per liter of cow milk, up from the previous price of ₹54.
In Pune, the price of cow milk has been increased by ₹2 per liter, following a decision by the Milk Producers and Processors Welfare Association. Starting July 13, the new price for cow milk will be ₹56 per liter, up from ₹54.
The decision was made at a meeting held at the Pune District Milk Producers Association (Katraj Dairy) office. Representatives from various cooperative and private milk associations attended the meeting, including Chitale Dairy, Parag Milk, Govind Milk, Nature Delight, Urja, Rajhans, Santkrupa, SR Thorat, Katraj, Godavari, Anant, Sonai, Akshara Milk, and Suyog Milk.
Gopalrao Mhaske, President of the Association, announced that the price hike applies specifically to cow’s milk. Despite the government mandating a ₹3 increase in the purchase price of milk starting July 1, 2024, the association chose to raise the selling price by only ₹2 to minimize the impact on consumers.
Association Secretary Prakash Kutwal said that this price adjustment aims to balance the increased costs for milk producers while maintaining affordability for consumers.
Current Milk Sales Status
• Total milk sold across the state: 65 to 70 lakh liter
• Packaged milk availability: Quarter, half, and one-liter packs
• New price of packaged cow’s milk: ₹56 per liter
Recently, dairy farmers in Manchar protested, demanding a guaranteed price of ₹40 per liter. Dairy farming is often a supplementary business for many farmers. However, over the past seven to eight years, the cost of animal feed has risen and tripled, while milk prices have continued to decline. As a result, many farmers are being forced to sell their hybrid cows, as dairy farming is no longer profitable, leading to financial distress in the dairy industry.
