Siddu defends govt dairy policy amid pressure, slams BJP

NT Correspondent Ramanagara: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed the Opposition BJP for criticizing the State government for hiking milk prices. The CM made the remarks during the inauguration of the new Bangalore Milk Union Limited (BAMUL) administrative building in Magadi town in Ramanagara district on Friday. The State government is under pressure from milk unions, dairy farmers associations and the Opposition BJP and JD(S) to change their dairy policy.

BAMUL is lobbying with the CM for the retail price of milk to be increased from Rs 5 per litre due to losses they have been suffering. A litre of Nandini milk costs Rs 42. On the other hand, dairy farmers associations want a Rs 10 per litre increase in incentives amid some milk of the 15 unions decreasing procurement prices.

Nandini products are manufactured by the stateowned Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). “BJP alleged that the price of milk has been increased. Shouldn’t farmers receive money? Is it possible to ask the farmers about this? Our government announced a Rs 5 (per litre) incentive. The Ksheera Bhagya scheme (free milk for government school students) has made it convenient for farmers. Children of farmers are of this soil,” Siddaramaiah said. He added that the BJP’s criticism that the expenses of the five guarantees had left no money for infrastructure development was unfounded. It is to be noted that under the BJP State government, price of Nandini milk had been hiked by Rs 3 per litre in November 2022.The Congress also hiked milk prices by Rs 3 per litre back in July 2023.

Procurement price down: The Opposition BJP and JD(S) also accused the ruling Congress of being unjust towards dairy farmers as some milk unions have reduced the procurement price of milk. Raichur, Bellary and Koppal Districts Cooperative Milk Producers’ Societies Union Ltd (RBKMUL), for instance, has decided to slash the procurement price of milk by Rs 1.5 from Rs 30.50 to Rs 29. The State government has confirmed a glut in milk production, which caused them to increase the quantity of milk in Nandini packets by 50 ml and proportionately increasing the prices of Rs 2.

However, this hasn’t eased the burden of milk unions. They’ve had to accept excess milk and turn much of the extra produce into skimmed milk powder (SKM). Making things worse is the fact that the market price of SKM has dipped to Rs 220 per kilogram but the production costs hover around Rs 300 for the same quantity. They’re holding the milk powder because they can’t sell it for a loss.

Dairy farmers moot protest: Dairy farmer associations such as Karnataka State Milk Producers-Farmers Welfare Association (KSMPFWA) are considering a “Vidhana Soudha Chalo” protest.They are demanding a Rs 10 per litre increase in incentives, citing an increase in input like price of fodder. The Swaminathan Committee had recommended that dairy farmers be paid input which would be more than 50 per cent of the input costs.