In a bid to reach out to agitating dairy farmers after a fall in milk prices, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced that the government will provide incentives to them for exporting milk powder and dairy products.
Mr. Gadkari said that he, along with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, will meet Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Friday on the issue.
“There is 3.5 lakh tonne of surplus milk powder which has led to a fall in milk prices. We have today decided that milk powder and milk products will be exported and an incentive of 10% will be offered," Mr. Gadkari said.
He appealed to the agitating dairy farmers to have faith in the government, which he said was working to address their concerns. The Union Minister said that State governments should also come forward to help them.
Farmers in Mr. Gadkari's home State of Maharashtra began an indefinite strike on July 16 to protest against a sharp fall in wholesale milk prices by disrupting supplies to major cities such as Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.
