Milk prices might go up shortly. An expert committee appointed by Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), popularly known as Milma, to examine the issue of price hike, is expected to submit its report in the next few weeks. There have been frequent demands from dairy farmers for raising the procurement price of milk as cattle feed prices have gone up steeply.
The committee, appointed about two months ago, would submit its report shortly, Milma Chairman P.T. Gopala Kurup told The Hindu . The cooperative body would discuss the matter later, he said.
With the prevailing cash crunch and rise in prices of inputs, including cattle feed, an analysis of ground realities would open up the possibility of a raise in the milk prices, according to experts in dairy sector. They say that Milma would not be able to ignore the situation. Mr. Kurup said the dairy farmers had been seeking an increase.
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Dairy farmers’ protest
The farmers had been exerting pressure on the cooperative body to increase the prices. Dairy farmers had organised an agitation in Alappuzha earlier by pouring out several cans of milk on the road in a symbolic protest against non-remunerative prices. Farmers in Idukki did a ‘palabhishekam’ on the road recently.
Gino G. Maliyakal, general secretary of Kerala Aggressive Dairy Farmers Association, said the government was ignoring the dairy sector. Feed prices had escalated from Rs.400 to Rs.1,000 within the past few months. Several private cattle feed manufacturers were using unethical methods, he said. The feed contained urea which resulted in higher yield, but were harmful to the milch animal, he said.
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Milma’s prerogative
Milma had been vested with the right to increase the prices after a prolonged legal battle in 2011. Milma had the authority to raise the prices and the farmers needed such a support, said M.T. Jayan, former chairman of the Ernakulam region of Milma. The prices were raised twice after 2011. It’s time for another hike, according to him.
Interestingly, experts in the field pointed out that Milma had been getting 3 lakh litres of milk from neighbouring States at lower prices and the distribution of that milk under the Milma brand had been commercially more advantageous to the cooperative body. Such a move would be detrimental to the interests of the farmers in Kerala.
Unorganised sector
While farmers under the Milma cooperative segment get sops, many farmers in the unorganised sector, owning a few cows, are denied any special benefits. There is a demand that such farmers be extended assistance which the farmers under the Milma umbrella get.