Thiruvananthapuram Regional Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. chairman Kallada Ramesh and managing director Baby Joseph have said that the shortage of imported milk from Karnataka was forcing them to distribute double toned milk despite consumers’ preference for toned milk.
They were speaking to reporters here on Monday in the wake of widespread complaints from consumers which appeared in the media that Milma was forcing them to buy milk packed in yellow cover (double toned) when they demand milk packed in blue cover (toned milk).
They said that Milma had six types of milks based on different fat content ranging from 0.75 percent to 9 percent. In view of the shortage of milk, fat-rich milk and milk products were withdrawn from the market. Double toned milk (1.5 percent fat) and toned milk (3 percent fat) are available in the market.
As the standardised milk (Milma rich) in green cover had vary few takers in Thiruvananthapuram market, it was withdrawn from market last August. They said milk with medium fat content (toned milk) always had great demand among the people.
Following the fall in milk production in Karnataka, they had forced Milma to take milk with less fat content. Thiruvananthapuram Union is receiving only 1.75 lakh litres from domestic market. Karnataka now provides 58,000 litres of fat-rich milk and 50,000 litres of fat-less milk. Tamil Nadu has started providing 30,000 litres of milk for the last two weeks. If all these milk was sold as toned milk, only 3.25 lakh litres will be available in the market, causing severe milk shortage, they said.
From December, 2009, the Thiruvananthapuram Union has made the proportion of the toned and double toned milk 50:50 to meet the demand of the consumers. Though an agreement has been reached with Maharashtra to bring milk from there it has not yet made available, they said.
They said the double toned milk packed in yellow cover was not adulterated or of inferior quality. This milk is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and lactose. Double toned milk is produced by mixing ordinary milk with skimmed milk and milk powder and not by adding water, they clarified.
They also said that Milma had to pay an excess amount of Rs 1.82 and Rs 2.15 per litre respectively to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Even after converting the milk to double toned milk, it has to incur a loss of 10 paise per litre.
They said when Milma gets milk at the same price as in Kerala it will definitely think about slashing the price of double toned milk.
They said instructions had already been given to distribute equal number of toned and double toned milk to the customers when they demand more than one packet.