Milkmen in Mumbai have decided to raise the price of milk in the city by Rs3 from April 1, 2008.
Prices will rise by Rs3 from April1
MUMBAI: Milkmen in Mumbai have decided to raise the price of milk in the city by Rs3 from April 1, 2008.
The reason cited by milkmen is to insulate their business against the problem posed by the rising prices of foodgrains.
“We feed cattle with wheat bran and other grains whose prices keep increasing every year,” said CK Singh, committee member of the Mumbai Milk Association, a grouping of private stable owners.
“No subsidy or any kind of relief is given by the government for price control. Buffalo prices have also been going up after state governments started promoting cattle programmes in their respective state. We
are forced to increase the prices,” Singh said.
Fresh buffalo milk, which is currently available in the market for Rs27 a litre, will cost Rs31 from April 1. The association has 1,800 stable owners as members, who collectively hold one lakh heads of cattle, in Mumbai and its outskirts. In a meeting on Sunday, most of the members demanded an increase of Rs5 in the price of milk, however, they eventually settled for Rs3.
“It’s a matter of survival, so it’s essential for us to increase the milk price,” said Raisaheb Singh, a stable owner.
The price hike by private milk suppliers may not affect the prices of milk products in the city, as private stable owners supply only 20 per cent of the city’s total milk requirement.
But the worst hit will be housewives, many of whom prefer milk from the tabelas. “I prefer buffalo milk because it comes fresh and is rich in fat content,” said Rajul Hegde, a housewife from Borivili.
“The price increase may make me think twice about it, but I am habituated to fresh milk, so I don’t really have a choice.”
The price of milk supplied by government-owned and cooperative dairies is not much cheaper. Currently, buffalo milk supplied by these dairies costs Rs27 a litre.
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