Though, Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) claimed that the price hike in milk will benefit farmers across the country, neither farmers nor the consumers have been benefitted.
The DDC board yesterday decided to raise the price of non-skimmed and skimmed milk by Rs 6 and Rs 8 per liter with effect from today. The hike compels consumers to pay Rs 28 for a half liter pack of non-skimmed milk and Rs 34 for a half liter pack of skimmed milk.
Farmers, will get Rs 35 to 38 per liter depending on fat presence in milk, claimed the DDC that has also increased the commission for booth men by 10 paisa per liter.
“The price has been increased in a bid to facilitate and encourage farmers across the country,” acting deputy director general of DDC Giridhar Bajracharya said, adding that the increment will addresses the soaring production cost of farmers.
More than 69 per cent of the increased price will go into the pocket of farmers, the government utility claimed but it is paying Rs 2 per half litre to the farmers and charging Rs 8 from consumers.
Farmers had been long demanding the state-owned dairy producer to hike milk procurement price arguing that their cost has increased remarkably in the recent years.
Today’s hike is the highest hike in the price of fresh milk so far as earlier, it had raised price of milk by Rs 2 per liter one-and-a-half years ago.
Meanwhile, private dairies are also planning to hike the price of milk.
Expressing their disappointment with DDC for not raising the price of other dairy products simultaneously, they said that hike in milk procurement price will increase production cost of other dairy products like cheese, paneer and ice-cream.
Following the DDC, private dairies are preparing to raise price of fresh milk by Rs 6 liter from tomorrow. All private dairies will increase price of fresh milk by Rs 6 per liter with effect from today.