Milk farmers protest outside Maharashtra assembly, upset over falling prices
On the second day of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, milk-producing farmers protested outside the Assembly demanding an increase in milk prices.
The series of protests by farmers over the price of milk is gaining momentum in Maharashtra. On the second day of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, milk-producing farmers protested outside the Assembly demanding an increase in milk prices. Angry with the fall in milk prices, farmers scattered milk on the road while protesting outside the Assembly. Farmers say that they are suffering a loss of Rs 10 to 15 per liter on milk. Therefore, the government should give a subsidy of at least Rs 10 per liter on milk.
All India Kisan Sabha leader Dr. Ajit Navle said that protests are being held across the state demanding an increase in the price of milk. The opposition party Congress has also warned of protests demanding increased milk purchase prices in Maharashtra. Maharashtra Congress State President Nana Patole has said that the price of milk in different states is up to Rs 45 per liter. But in Maharashtra, farmers have to sell milk at the rate of Rs 27 per liter. Whereas consumers are being charged a higher price. On the second day of the monsoon session in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the opposition raised slogans against the Maharashtra government and raised the issue of farmer loan waiver and milk prices.
Just a few days ago, the prices of the country's major milk brands have increased by up to two rupees per liter. At the same time, dairy farmers in Maharashtra are in trouble due to the fall in milk prices. The price of cow milk in the state has come down to Rs 26 per liter. Before the Lok Sabha elections, in March and April, the state government gave farmers a subsidy of five rupees per liter on milk, which was stopped in May. Maharashtra's budget is coming on Friday. Farmer organizations said that the state government should give a subsidy of seven rupees per liter on milk to compensate for the loss of farmers. If this does not happen, then from July 1, farmers will start a movement across the state for better milk prices.
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana President and former MP Raju Shetty told Rural Voice that about 120 lakh liters of milk is produced in the state every day. Only a part of it goes to the organized sector. At the same time, about 20 lakh liters of milk is coming from Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. In this situation, milk farmers are getting only 25 to 26 rupees per liter for cow milk (3 percent fat). Whereas last year this price had gone up to 38 rupees per liter.
One of the major reasons for the fall in milk prices is the fall in the price of skimmed milk powder (SMP). Due to this, private dairy companies producing SMP are paying low prices to farmers for milk. Due to the current prices of SMP in the global market, the export of SMP from India is no longer competitive. Shetty says that the government should also give subsidy on SMP exports. This will help farmers get better milk prices.
