Karnataka Legislative Council member bats for milk price hike

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Congress MLC S. Ravi has said that cattle feed prices have surged significantly, putting severe financial strain on farmers who rely on dairy farming as a self-sustaining livelihood. | Photo Credit: file photo

Urging lawmakers and the media to refrain from “politicising” a potential hike in milk prices, Congress member S. Ravi made a strong appeal in the Legislative Council for a ₹14 to ₹15 per litre increase to support distressed dairy farmers across Karnataka.

Emphasising the acute crisis facing the rural economy, Mr. Ravi pointed out that cattle feed prices have surged significantly, putting severe financial strain on farmers who rely on dairy farming as a self-sustaining livelihood.

“Dairy farming gave farmers self-reliance, but today rising input costs have pushed them to the brink of abandoning it altogether,” Mr. Ravi, also president of Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd., said.

“The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) pays the lowest price to farmers while selling milk at the lowest rates in the entire country. Everyone must cooperate to support a ₹14–₹15 price hike. I also request the media not to turn the price increase into breaking news sensationalism,” he said.

Members from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) expressed their concurrence with the proposal, agreeing that an upward revision in milk prices is necessary to cushion dairy farmers against fodder shortages and rising operational costs.

On Wednesday, Congress member in the Assembly K.Y. Nanje Gowda, who is also chairman of Kolar-Chickballapur Milk Union Limited (KOMUL), had urged the government to increase the procurement price of milk being sold by KMF by ₹10 per litre to provide succour to drought-hit milk producers.

Participating in a debate in the Assembly on drought, Mr. Gowda cautioned that the KMF’s brand value and the milk cooperative network in the State would take a hit if milk procurement price was not hiked.

He explained that the production cost of milk had increased sharply over the years while the drought had added to woes of the dairy sector.

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