The Karnataka government has confirmed plans to increase the price of Nandini milk, supplied by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). Minister for Animal Husbandry K Venkatesh announced the decision in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, stating that discussions on the hike will be held with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He stated that farmers have demanded a price increase of Rs 10 per litre, citing rising production costs.   Â
“There is a demand from farmers to increase milk prices. We have discussed it, and they are asking for a hike of Rs 10 per litre. We have not yet decided on the exact increase, but we will raise the price after discussing it with the chief minister,” Venkatesh said in response to a question in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
During the Question and Answer session, Minister Venkatesh acknowledged that the government owes Rs 656.07 crore in subsidies to milk producers, affecting 9.04 lakh beneficiaries. He assured that the finance department has been approached for fund clearance and that the pending amount will be disbursed soon. The decision to raise milk prices, he added, will be made after consultations with the chief minister.
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The demand for a price increase is backed by farmers, various organisations and the Department of Animal Husbandry. KMF officials have also been pushing for an increase of Rs 5 per litre, citing higher dairy farming costs. While the government is in the final stages of discussions with stakeholders, it is treading cautiously, anticipating potential backlash from consumers.
The last milk price revision in Karnataka occurred on June 25, 2024, when the government increased the rate by Rs 2 per litre while adding an extra 50 ml per packet. This move faced criticism, but officials justified it as necessary to prevent KMF from incurring losses. Currently, a one-litre blue packet of Nandini milk costs Rs 44.
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KMF chairman Bheema Naik has pointed out that milk prices in Karnataka remain significantly lower than in other states. As of now, Gujarat and Maharashtra sell milk at Rs 56 per litre, Kerala at Rs 54 and Andhra Pradesh at Rs 58. Naik stated that even with the proposed hike, Karnataka’s milk rates would still be among the lowest in the country. However, he clarified that there are no plans to increase prices for other Nandini dairy products.
