The Hindu : New Delhi News : Milk prices go up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 19, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Milk prices go up

Staff Reporter

Mother Dairy announces one-rupee hike

The price hike comes into effect from Friday
Residents’ welfare associations have opposed the hike

NEW DELHI: Mother Dairy on Thursday announced another one-rupee increase in the prices of all its milk variants in and around Delhi purportedly to offset losses it has suffered due to a rise in input costs. The price hike comes into effect from Friday.

“There has been a substantial increase in the price paid by Mother Dairy for procurement of milk in the previous as well as current financial year,” the company said in a statement.

“The increase in procurement prices of raw milk and milk commodities has compelled the company to raise the prices of all milk variants,” it added.

Reacting strongly to the announcement, the Capital’s residents’ welfare associations have opposed the hike and demanded an immediate rollback.

Ram Vihar RWA secretary V. N. Bali termed the increase in milk prices “anti-people” and said it would hit the household budgets of the citizens of Delhi. “The milk distribution companies who are working as a cartel should immediately roll back the hike,” he added.

Third hike

A housewife of Kiran Vihar, Parinita Arora, said that with the prices of essential commodities such as vegetables, fruits and pulses already skyrocketing, the increase in milk prices would definitely affect the household budget.

“Milk prices were hiked in February and March and August this year and this is the third hike within five months,” she said.

Stating that the increase was unwarranted, Vivek Vihar Block B RWA secretary Ritu Bhatia said: “Residents are still trying to adjust to the steep increase in prices of vegetables, fruits and pulses. This hike will put an additional burden on the household budget. The Capital is becoming an expensive city to live in,” she added.

A housewife in Priya Enclave, Upasana Sharma, said: “Growing children and retired people will be the worst affected as the rates of milk-related products including pure ghee, sweets and ice creams will go up accordingly.”

Varinder Arora of People’s Action demanded winding up of Mother Dairy as it had failed to keep the prices of essential items such as milk and vegetables under control. “Mother Dairy vegetable stores are selling vegetables much above the market price,” he charged.

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