Soaring milk prices hit household budgets

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, May 30

Prices of milk and milk products have been increasing consistently, making things tougher for lower and middle class sections of the society.

Milkmen and dairy farmers are also not happy with the trend as their turnover and profitability have shrunk due to a sudden hike in the cost of inputs, including cereals, wheat chaff and cattle feed. Investments in setting up dairy farms and buying cattle have also increased, they say.

Mixed milk that was normally available for Rs 50 per litre till last month is now available for not less than Rs 70.

While the daily consumption of milk, curd and butter has decreased significantly during the past few weeks, carbonated drinks and juices have substituted lassi, milkshake and mango-shake.

Darshan Singh, a dairy farmer, said buffalo milk with high nutrient content was being sold for Rs 90 per litre. “Although the normal quality buffalo milk is being sold for Rs 70-Rs 80 per litre, ‘Doka’ milk (produced by elderly buffaloes) is available at Rs 90 per litre,” said Darshan, maintaining that a majority of dairy farmers in the urban areas have been working on a ‘no profit-no loss’ basis.

Ravinder Sharma, another dairy farmer rearing cows, regretted that dairy farmers were being forced to close their ventures due to the government’s unconcern towards protecting their interests. “The massive investment in the cost of animals and equipment, fluctuation in prices of fodder, cattle feed and labour have made the vocation non-remunerative,” said Ravinder. He added that the government had not bothered to compensate the farmers for losses incurred by them due to natural calamities and epidemics.

Deepak Sharma, a dairy owner, said retailers and milkmen were also among those affected as their profit margin had squeezed due to the low turnover, bad payments and resistance of customers to increase the rates proportionately.

Tarsem Garg, a grocer, said scarcity of milk and hike in prices had resulted in an increase in the sale of milk powder as many families had shifted to the consumption of milk powder instead of paying higher for fresh milk.

“Though the rate of standard milk powder has also increased from Rs 300 per kg to Rs 400 per kg, small families prefer making milk with powder instead of depending on milkmen and dairy owners,” said Garg.

Many shifting to milk powder

Tarsem Garg, a grocer, said scarcity of milk and hike in prices had resulted in an increase in the sale of milk powder as many families had shifted to the consumption of milk powder instead of paying higher for fresh milk. “Though the rate of standard milk powder has also increased from Rs 300 per kg to Rs 400 per kg, small families prefer making milk with powder instead of depending on milkmen and dairy owners,” he said.

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