Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 8: The consumers who are facing the heat on account of escalating prices of essential commodities may have to make room for paying more for the milk they buy. As per current indications, prices of milk supplied by Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) are set to go up shortly.

The district units of milk producers union have already approached KMF with a proposal to increase milk prices. There was rumour about milk prices going up a few months back, but somehow the initiative died down. It is said that KMF board of directors who will meet on January 17, are likely to take a call on increasing prices of milk.

The milk unions have been demanding to increase prices of different types of milk marketed by KMF because of increasing production cost of the dairy farmers in fodder, transportation etc and also escalating maintenance cost of milk unions. The milk unions point out that milk prices have remained stagnant since the last three years whereas maintenance cost and price of diesel and petrol apart from transportation have been going up. The unions have to pay increased pay to staff with each passing year, which is putting pressure on their finances. The unions have also drawn the attention of the government towards higher milk prices prevalent in neighbouring states.

KMF chairman Balachandra Jarkiholi, said that private operators have recently enhanced milk prices and there is demand to hike prices of Nandini brand of milk. He said that discussions would be held at the meeting of the board of directors on January 17, and a decision will be taken on this issue.

The directors of KMF are likely to take a decision and send proposal to the state government. It is said that the consumers can expect milk prices to go up by two rupees a litre.