Consumers slam hike in pouched milk prices

Amritsar, June 3

A day after the Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (MILKFED) and Amul hiked the price of a litre of pouched milk by Rs 2, consumers fear that the trend may be followed by diaries, too.

The hike in prices of the essential commodity burnt a hole in the pocket of the common man. People from all walks of life are upset by the hike in price, which has upset their household budget. They complain that the rise in the cost of milk is bound to affect the family budget adversely.

Minakshi, a homemaker, said the increased cost of milk would affect them in the longer run, adding that the cost of milk and green groceries consumed the lion’s share out of their monthly household budget already due to the inflation.

Pavittar Singh, employed at a private firm, said there was no coherence between inflation on essential commodities and wages. Salaries have not been rising steadily for the past several years due to external intervention. The government’s priorities have shifted. Instead of protecting the marginalised, they prefer to back corporate giants.

Officials of the MILKFED, which is selling over 26 dairy products under the brand name of Verka, claimed the reason behind the hike was the increase in the rate of buffalo milk by dairy farmers. Dairy farmers have been incurring losses, too due to the decreased milk production by cattle owing to the scorching heat.