Bengaluru, September 22 (Daily Kiran) : The Karnataka government is evaluating a proposal to raise the purchase and sale prices of Nandini milk by ₹8 to ₹10 per liter. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has instructed officials to gather comprehensive data regarding milk production costs and prices from neighboring states.
On Tuesday, a delegation from cooperative dairy producers met with Shivakumar at the Vidhana Soudha to present a memorandum requesting this price revision. During the meeting, the Chief Minister sought detailed information on the rise in animal feed costs over the past decade, the production cost per liter of milk, and the volume of milk sold by farmers outside the cooperative system. He also requested insights into purchasing quantities and prevailing prices in adjacent states.
D.K. Suresh, president of the Bengaluru Urban and Rural Milk Producers Cooperative Union (BAMUL) and the Chief Minister’s brother, spoke on behalf of the delegation. He highlighted that the costs of animal feed, medicines, and other essentials have significantly increased milk production expenses. The ongoing drought has further complicated the situation for dairy farmers, reducing agricultural income and the availability of fodder.
Suresh noted, “Several cooperative organizations and private dairy companies in different states have been continuously raising the prices of milk and dairy products. In the interest of consumers, we have not increased milk prices for the past year and a half.” He added that private dairy companies are attempting to purchase larger quantities of milk, intensifying competition for Karnataka’s cooperative unions.
Currently, Karnataka’s cooperatives buy toned milk at ₹35 per liter. In comparison, the purchasing prices in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are ₹41.50, ₹41.80, ₹41, and ₹42.24, respectively. Suresh claimed that the maximum retail price for milk in Karnataka is at least ₹12 per liter lower than in neighboring states.
The delegation emphasized the need for a price hike of ₹8 to ₹10 per liter, citing rising production costs and the necessity for better returns for farmers. The Chief Minister’s directives indicate that the government will analyze demand based on production costs, purchasing volumes, market conditions, and comparative prices in neighboring states before making a decision.
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