BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (OMFED) has increased the price of milk of all variants by Rs 4 per litre with effect from Sunday.
As per the revised rates, toned milk now costs Rs 54 per litre, up from Rs 50. Similarly, premium milk price has been increased from Rs 54 to Rs 58 per litre while gold premium milk has been priced Rs 60 compared to the previous Rs 56. Gold premium plus has been hiked from Rs 60 to Rs 64 per litre.
As consumers prefer to buy small pack of 500 ml, the half litre pack of all varieties have become costlier by Rs 2. The premium milk being most popular, it is now costing Rs 29 for a half litre pack, up from Rs 27 earlier.
The price revision of milk by OMFED came shortly after the state-run cooperative body increased the procurement rate from dairy farmers. The milk producers are being paid Rs 39.5 per litre, up from Rs 38.5 per litre, since May 1.
OMFED had last effected a hike of Rs 2 per litre in the milk price in June last year. The current price hike is expected to benefit around 2.78 lakh milk producers supplying to OMFED.
Justifying the hike, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development minister Gokulananda Mallik said, OMFED will procure at higher prices for the benefit of farmers. “The price rise is due to higher costs for processing, transportation and other logistic expenditures. OMFED price is sufficiently low compared to other branded milk sold in the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, president of Odisha Milk Farmers’ Association, Rabi Behera pointed out that only Rs 1 from this hike will be passed on to the dairy farmers as against their demand of Rs 2 per litre.
Arguing that Rs 1 increase was inadequate given the rising cost of cattle feed, medicines and overall inflation, he said private dairies were offering significantly higher procurement prices between Rs 42 and Rs 48 per litre, making OMFED’s rates comparatively low. He urged the state government to intervene and ensure fair pricing for farmers.
Behera also requested Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to introduce a healthcare scheme for cattle, similar to the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
