Bangalore: Nandini Boils as Ego Clashes Reach Zenith
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Sep 13: Ignoring repeated warnings issued by the chief minister B S Yeddyurappa against the move, Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), in a meeting of the presidents of 13 milk unions in the state, directors of KMF and the governing body of the Federation held here on Friday September 12, decided to affect over-the-board price hike of two rupees per litre of milk sold by it. Out of the present hike, Rs 1.50 per litre will go to farmers, the meeting decided.
However, double-toned milk, buttermilk and curds have been spared from the price hike. A litre of toned milk will cost Rs 18 henceforth against the existing price of Rs 16, while standardized milk and full cream milk brands of the KMF will cost Rs 22 and Rs 24 respectively and the hike will be affective, after the KMF convinces the chief minister of the reasons behind its decision to affect the hike.
KMF president and ex-minister H D Revanna had repeatedly stated that the hike in milk price is coming. On the other hand, the chief minister had opposed the move, saying that the government has sanctioned subsidy of two rupees per litre for the farmers and hence, upward revision of milk prices was not justified. The government also through the registrar of co-operative societies sent a letter to KMF advising it not to resort to price hike. By giving two hoots to the letter and chief minister's instructions, the KMF has opted to confront Yeddyurappa.
KMF president H D Revanna said, that the milk unions in the state will be faced with a whopping accumulated losses of Rs 25.54 crore by the end of December this year, if the price of milk is not increased now. If the government is ready to bear the loss, we will have no problem, he explained.
Milk unions, subject to their financial position, can also offer higher prices to the dairy farmers. With the subsidy announced by the government, the farmers will get Rs 15.50 per litre of milk, Revanna said. "The government has asked us not to increase the price of milk. The government can not interfere with issues like price hike of milk, a prerogative of KMF. We will write to the chief minister about the decision of the meeting. Still, in order to avoid confrontation, we will try to convince the government the need to affect the price rise by leading a delegation of the presidents of milk unions and directors, if the chief minister invites us for talks," he stated.