BHUBANESWAR: Omfed milk would be dearer by Rs 2 a litre from February 1. Pasteurised milk will cost Rs 11, up from Rs 10 per 500 ml, and skimmed milk will go up from Rs 8.50 to Rs 9.
Omfed chairman S C Mohapatra told mediapersons on Sunday that the hike was unavoidable as costs of inputs, raw materials, fodder prices as well as transportation had gone up substantially and the milk producers were under severe strain.The federation has decided to increase the procurement rates from farmers from the existing Rs 13.76 to Rs 15 per litre. Better prices would bring about improvement in quality of milk produced by the farmers, he said.
The procurement rates had been increased last in January 2009 from Rs 11.76 to Rs 13.76. Though the federation had announced hike in milk prices simultaneously, public outcry and opposition led to Government intervention and its subsequent withdrawal.
This time too it seems set to raise a furore with a section of the milk farmers already assailing the hike as a move to hoodwink the farmers. The Orissa Milk and Paddy Farmers’ Association said that meagre increase would not help the farmers. While Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had spoken of increase in milk prices, states like Tamil Nadu had extended Rs 20 per litre to farmers even though the market price was Rs 22.
The farmers here should be provided at least Rs 20, cattle feed at Rs 10 a kg and loans with interests of 5 per cent against prevailing 12 per cent, association president Rabi Behera said and even warned of an agitation on January 30.
Mohapatra also announced that along with procurement prices, the sale commission for agents would be raised from 75 paise to 85 paise per litre. Despite fast increasing costs on every front from collection, processing to delivery, the federation has aimed at achieving a business of Rs 320 crore.
It has also announced the launch of double toned milk in the Twin City of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar with fat content of only 1.5 per cent. The price of milk would be Rs 10 per 500 ml and would be introduced in other parts of the State in phases.