“Overwhelming response to milk producers' stir”

State president of the Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Association K. Mohammed Ali on Monday claimed that there was tremendous response from milk producers (up to 90 per cent in a few districts) to the indefinite strike call by the association urging the State government to increase procurement prices of cow and buffalo milk.

Mr. Ali, who was here on Monday, told The Hindu that interestingly, members of the cooperative milk production societies have worked out strategies to avoid wastage of milk.

He clarified that this situation would go on for the next three days, “after which we will be forced to sell the milk to private milk companies.”

The strike was called for by the association seeking a hike in procurement price of Rs.5 per litre and Rs.8 per litre of cow and buffalo milk from the present Rs.16.14 and Rs.24.7.

He said that keeping in mind the increasing price hike in commodities, private milk companies increased the procurement price of cow and buffalo milk to around Rs.17.5 (by Rs.2.50) and Rs.30 (Rs.5) p er litre with effect from January 1, 2011.

Their other main demand was job regularisation for close to 25,000 people employed in the Primary Cooperative Milk Producers Association.