CHENNAI: A year after cutting milk procurement prices steeply, private milk companies have repeated the act again by Rs 4 to Rs 8 per litre from Tuesday. With this, milk prices sold by farmers to companies has now come down to Rs 17 to Rs 22 a litre, as against the Rs 23 to 28 till Monday. The move is expected to affect over 40 lakh dairy farmers across the State, bringing down their earnings by Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.
Industrial sources attributed this to the fall in demand, thanks to the complete lockdown. A few days ago, the State government had also reduced the prices of Aavin milk by Rs 3 per litre, which will come into effect from May 16.
SA Ponnusamy, State president, Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers’ Welfare Association, demanded restoration of old prices, and said, “The farmers are reeling under huge debt since last year. The government should intervene and fix a standard price for procurement.”