Prices of standardised and full cream milk supplied by private brands will go up from Monday by Rs. 2 a litre. Sources of at least two companies said the hike was necessitated because they had to increase procurement price. A litre of full cream milk will now cost Rs. 42.
“Aavin, the government-run milk agency, hiked the procurement prices by Rs. 3, causing our suppliers also to demand an increase. The prices of all commodities are going up, then why not milk?” asked a company source.
However, prices of toned and double toned milk, which constitute about 60 per cent of the market share, have been retained at Rs. 32 and Rs. 28 a litre respectively.
Consumer activist T. Sadagopan questioned the rationale behind the hike. He said a price control monitoring body should be formed with the Food secretary, NGO representatives and private companies.
S.A. Ponnusamy, State president, Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Welfare Association, termed the hike as unfair. “While milk prices are increased at least once in six months, milk dealers do not get anything,” he said.
