BENGALURU: Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh informed the Karnataka Legislative Council that milk price will be increased to meet the demand of milk-producing farmers and protect consumer interests.
Replying to MLC Umashree’s question on dairy farmers’ demand for Rs 10/litre increase, Venkatesh said, “Milk price will be increased soon, and the demand of dairy farmers and interests of consumers will be kept in mind.”
The minister added that meetings were held, and pros and cons related to increasing milk purchase price and its implications on the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (KMF) were discussed. “Another round of meetings will be held on increasing milk price and milk procurement, and a decision taken,” he replied.
The minister shared data on beneficiaries and said the government is empathetic towards farmers. He said incentives to 9,04,547 beneficiaries are pending. Of these, there is a pending payment of five months for 8,17,074 milk producers of the general category, two months for 52,467 milk producers of Scheduled Castes and 4 months’ payment for 35,006 milk producers of Scheduled Tribes.
