Hike in milk prices applies to all Nandini varieties

The hike in the price of milk will apply to all Nandini varieties and Nandini curds marketed by the Karnataka Milk Federation.

Official sources in the KMF said the hike applied to single-toned, double-toned and Arogya milk. However, the KMF did not release the new price chart of its milk varieties on Saturday.

KMF managing director Rakesh Singh was not available for comment.

‘Grants to milk unions’
The government must directly give additional grants to milk unions instead of increasing the price of milk and lose buyers, JD(S) MLA H D Revanna has said.

The government has decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 4 a litre. The entire additional money raised should go to the milk unions, said Revanna, one of the directors of the Karnataka Milk Federation.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Revanna said even if the entire revenue earned by increasing the milk price went to the unions, it would be difficult to prevent losses.

Instead, more remuneration should be given to farmers and the government must bear the increased cost of Rs 4. He said the increased price may affect the sale of milk. The government has no control over private milk producers and, therefore, caution should be taken to ensure KMF milk does not lose consumers. Revanna said the Bengaluru milk union pooled in 13.5 lakh litres of milk daily. Of this, 10.71 lakh litres are sold. There is no milk left for producing milk powder. This means the union is not facing losses. But as per the records, the loss is shown at Rs 14.51 crore. Such unions are taken into consideration while hiking the price, he said.

He said milk unions were facing a loss of Rs 56.73 crore. The chief minister must immediately convene a meeting to discuss ways to reduce the losses. Though the chief minister is interested in holding such a meeting, vested interests are not allowing it, he said.