The government will form a committee to make a scientific study of milk prices and recommend on the demand for increase in prices.
The decision was taken at a conference of senior officials of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development departments, State Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) and Kerala Livestock Development Board, convened here on Thursday to discuss the demand of the farmers.
The committee will have representatives of the farmers, Milma and the Livestock Development Board and senior officials in charge of dairy development and animal husbandry. It will submit its report in three months, after hearing the representatives of dairy farmers and consumers.
An official release said the government would examine the report thus submitted and implement it. The conference also decided to restore the incentive of Rs.1 a litre given to farmers supplying milk during the dry season. The recent hike in milk prices in Ernakulam region will be withdrawn. The procurement price will be unified in the three regions of the State. Milma will draw up a fresh chart for that.
The conference also proposed that 90 per cent of any future hike in milk prices should be passed on to the farmers. There would not be any separate share for Milma.
