Haryana: Why buffalo milk may hit ₹100/litre as dairy farmers bounce back; ₹21,000 penalty for selling below fixed rate | Today’s news
Consumers in several districts of Haryana might soon see a rise in buffalo milk prices ₹100 per liter as village and block-level livestock farmers’ groups announced plans to hike the rates, according to Hindustan Times.
The demand for higher milk prices gained momentum, with farmers gathering in villages in Jind, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Rohtak and Hisar districts to discuss the issue.
The Association of Milk and Dairy Operators warned: “Anyone who sells milk and milk products below the above prices will be fined. ₹21,000,” saying the penalty would apply to those selling products below the rates announced by the group.
Why might buffalo milk prices go up in Haryana?
Farmers attribute the proposed increase to a sharp increase in the cost of fodder and fodder, along with significantly higher transport costs. They said these rising input costs make it difficult to continue selling milk at the prevailing rate ₹60– ₹80 per liter.
Farmers said the cost of rearing dairy animals has skyrocketed in recent years due to rising cost of cattle feed, offal, fodder, jaggery, green fodder, medicine and labour. They also pointed to the rising prices of buffaloes and other milch animals.
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Livestock owners reported that they are currently receiving between ₹60 a ₹80 per litre, depending on the type and quality of milk, which they say is not enough to cover their production costs.
Meeting in different villages
Dairy farmers of Bhaini Amirpur village in Hansi have announced that the revised prices will be implemented from September 5. According to the new rates, buffalo milk will cost ₹100 per liter while cow milk will be charged ₹80 per liter. Lassi will be sold for ₹20 per liter. According to HT, farmers in the neighboring villages of Rajthal and Thurana also supported the decision.
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In Julana, Jind district, association members discussed the proposed price revision in a meeting presided over by association president Manoj Kumar. The group said buffalo and cow’s milk would be sold ₹100 a ₹80 per liter, or He also fixed the price of buffalo milk ghee ₹1,500 per kg and cow milk ghee at ₹2500 per kg.
“The cost of cattle feed has increased ₹1,800 to ₹3,000. The price of wheat fodder has doubled ₹1,000 per cent.” According to Kumar, dairy groups in several districts have submitted memoranda to the Vita cooperatives and sought to ₹2-3 per kg increase in purchase prices of raw milk,” said Kumar.
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The milk producers held a meeting at Barna village in Kurukshetra district on Saturday and urged the milk sellers to abide by the prices agreed upon by the group. A similar meeting was also organized at Dhanauri village in Kaithal.
Village and block level dairy associations, which largely function as informal groups, contact similar associations in other districts to coordinate and maintain uniform prices of milk and milk products.
Buffalo milk ₹100/litre reasonable, cow’s milk ₹80 is not high, says the researcher
Richa Sharma, a researcher associated with the Supreme Court-appointed High Power Committee on Agrarian Reforms, said the price of buffalo milk is ₹100 per liter would be justified ₹80 per liter for cow’s milk seemed slightly high. “Based on input cost studies, cow’s milk can be profitable for farmers ₹70 per kg,” she said.
Sharma also cited the 2019 Assessment of Farm Households and Land and Household Livestock in Rural India. Its findings underscore the financial pressures livestock owners face as low milk prices make dairy farming economically difficult for many farmers.
