The Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) is planning to hike the price of milk by Rs.5 a litre.
Talking to The Hindu after a meeting of the Board of Directors here on Monday, Milma chairman P.T. Gopala Kurup said the programme committee of Milma had earlier in the day discussed various issues facing the dairy sector, including the rising input cost, and recommended a hike of at least Rs.5 a litre for milk. The committee had also taken into account the recommendations of an expert committee constituted by Milma while making the proposal.
He said the programme committee had also recommended a hike in the price of cattle feed produced by Milma and Kerala Feeds by Rs.250 a bag (50 kg) to ensure availability of cattle feed in the State. The board discussed the recommendations and directed the chairman to take appropriate decisions in this regard after considering various aspects of the issue.
The price hike would be announced on Thursday, Mr. Kurup said.
He said the market share of the feed produced by Milma and Kerala Feeds came to just 15 and 25 per cent respectively. Private companies, which accounted for the rest, had increased the price of cattle feed to Rs.1,000 a bag (50 kg) whereas Milma and Kerala Feeds provided cattle feed at Rs.650 a bag (50 kg) incurring huge losses.
Representatives of the government including K.T. Sarojini, Director, Dairy Development Department, and K.S. Khanna, General Manager, National Dairy Development Board, also attended the meet.
