DINDIGUL: As a part of state wide protest, several groups of milk farmers staged stir in many parts of Dindigul seeking higher procurement prices from Aavin on Tuesday.
Speaking to TNIE, Dindigul Milk Producers Association secretary Kasi Mayan said, "Aavin offers Rs 32 for cow milk and Rs 39 for buffalo milk. However, one must note that the input costs, such as paddy straw and groundnut oil cake, has risen considerably over a period of time. For example, the price of paddy straw was just Rs 200 for a bundle, but it has jumped to Rs 240 now. Price of a bag of groundnut cake increased from Rs 47 to Rs 67 per kg. The cattle feed from Milk Cooperative Societies of Erode is inferior in quality."
"Only the milking cost has not increased and remains at Rs 600 per month. Hence, we seek a rise in procurement prices of cow milk to Rs 42 per litre and buffalo milk to Rs 51. If the government and Aavin do not heed to the protest, we will be stopping milk production," he added.
Officials from Aavin (Dindigul Division) were unavailable for comments.