The State Committee of Tamil Nadu Milk Producers’ Association has urged the State government to hike the procurement price of milk and also provide cattle feed at subsidised price to farmers.

In a letter to the Commissioner of Milk Production and Dairy Development, Chennai, association State president A.M. Munusamy said that the procurement price of milk was last hiked in 2019. In the last three years, the price of cattle feed, fodder and other essential items had gone up significantly. Hence, the procurement price of cow milk should be increased to ₹42 a litre and buffalo milk to ₹51 a litre, the letter urged.

The letter said that many primary milk cooperative societies were facing huge losses due to adulteration, stealing of milk from tankers during transportation. Hence, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had on August 25, 2017 directed the State government to install lactometers within six months to test the milk quality at procurement points. But, no steps were taken in all these years to create the facilities, the letter said. The president also pointed out the difference in quality and quantity of milk after transporting from societies to Bulk Milk Cooler (BMC) points. “Records should be maintained at all points”, the letter said.

The letter also stressed on increasing daily procurement of milk to one crore litres, providing subsidy to Aavin that is incurring additional expenditure of ₹300 crore due to reduction in price of milk by ₹3 a litre, creating a separate revolving fund for Aavin with initial funding of ₹500 crore, providing feeds and fodder at 50% subsidy to farmers, starting of feed manufacturing factory in other districts, increasing commission for agents and increasing sales of Aavin products and including milk under noon  meal scheme.

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Printable version | May 5, 2022 5:47:18 pm | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/milk-producers-in-erode-seek-hike-in-procurement-price/article65384236.ece