Say there is a shortage of fodder and the cost of cattle feed has increased sharply
TIRUCHI: The Tiruchi, Perambalur, Karur and Pudukottai Districts Milk Producers Welfare Association on Thursday urged the State Government to increase the procurement price of milk.
Milk production in the State was coming down due to shortage in fodder in the wake of the failure of the south-west monsoon. The cost of cattle feed had also increased sharply.
Even Aavin had increased the price of cattle feed supplied by it from Rs.390 to Rs.498 a bag. Milk production had become un-remunerative and farmers were resorting to distress sale of milch animals, the association said in a resolution adopted at its meeting held here.
The meeting, chaired by association State president K.A. Sengottuvel, was also attended by members of the Primary Milk Cooperative Society Employees Association.
The association feared that there could be a sharp drop in milk production in the State over the next few months.
In view of the constraints faced by milk producers, the Chief Minister should order an increase in the procurement price from Rs.12 to Rs.16 a litre for cow’s milk and from Rs.14 to Rs.22 a litre for buffalo milk, Mr. Sengottuvel told reporters later.
In Tiruchi district, the average milk procurement of Aavin had come down to 2.70 lakh from 3 lakh litres a day, the association said. Payments for the societies should be disbursed immediately, especially in view of the festival season. The Government should direct Aavin to procure milk with Solid Non Fat (SNF) content of up to 7.7 per cent.
For, several milk producers were turning to private diaries which procured milk with just 7 per cent SNF content. Aavin, on the other hand, levied penalty for milk with less than 8 per cent SNF content.
Printer friendly
page Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
