Pawar takes U-turn over milk prices

However, as the minister’s statement invited sharp criticism from the ruling dispensation as well as the Opposition, Pawar made a sudden U-turn saying he was only poing out the mismatch between demand and supply.

Addressing a national conference of animal husbandry ministers here, Pawar said  there was a gap of 18 lakh tonnes between the demand for milk and the current supply. Unless the government increases the milk procurement prices and encourages farmers to produce more milk, the demand will not be met, he pointed out.

The minister said that though the Centre had taken a decision to raise the milk procurement prices following a demand from the farmers, it was not implemented yet.

However, Pawar made a U-turn later saying he was only talking about the mismatch between demand and supply in the northern region as opposition parties alleged that the minister’s statement would encourage hoarding and create an artificial shortage in the market.