THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), known by its brand name Milma, has decided to push for a hike in milk prices. A meeting of regional cooperative union representatives on Tuesday decided to recommend a price hike to the government.
“We are of the view that an appropriate increase in milk price is inevitable to support the dairy farmers, who have sustained the sector, by ensuring a remunerative price matching their efforts,” said Milma chairman K S Mani. The decision came when a committee appointed by KCMMF is expected to submit a report on the price hike by November 15. The KCMMF will consider the rise in input cost and the experts’ committee to make the recommendation.
KCCMMF had in September this year constituted a committee comprising experts from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Kerala Agriculture University to look into the issue and submit a detailed report.
The programming committee of Milma had recommended holding an emergency director board meeting of KCMMF soon after getting the report of the experts’ committee and taking an appropriate decision. Dairy Development Minister J Chinchurani had also said a price hike of at least Rs 5 was likely. The milk co-operative last increased the price of milk by Rs 4 a litre on September 19, 2019.