Cooperatives to pay farmers Rs 25ltr for milk

  • | Friday | 20th July, 2018

Pune: Maharashtra’s dairy farmers called off their strike on Thursday night after the state government directed milk cooperatives to pay the farmers Rs 25 per litre of cow’s milk — up from the prevailing rate of Rs 17-19. RH Baheti, a grocery shop owner in Shivajingar, said his shop did not receive milk of Chitale brand on Thursday. Katraj and Chitale, the two major milk suppliers in the city markets, said the supply had dropped to “almost nil” on Thursday. “We got other brands, but my customers were not willing to go for the alternatives,” he said.On Thursday evening, Chitale Bandhu said adequate volumes of milk were now available. “We wanted the farmers to get more price for their produce.

Pune: Maharashtra’s dairy farmers called off their strike on Thursday night after the state government directed milk cooperatives to pay the farmers Rs 25 per litre of cow’s milk — up from the prevailing rate of Rs 17-19. This rate is still less than the government-fixed procurement rate of Rs 27 per litre.To stop a cascading effect on consumers, the government will give a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre to the dairies.Raju Shetti, the leader of Shetkari Swabhimani Sangathna (SSS), who led the strike, welcomed the government’s decision. “We wanted the farmers to get more price for their produce. We have achieved our goal,” he said after meeting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur. Shetti also urged the government to ignore farmers’ violence “just like a mother indulges errant children.”“By extending the subsidy to co-operatives the government will have to bear a burden of Rs 75 crore per month,” dairy development minister Mahadev Jankar said in the assembly. He said this will be implemented from July 21 and for a period of three months. After a review of the price of the skimmed milk powder in the international market, the state will decide whether to continue the grant or not.Meanwhile, Pune suffered the consequences of the strike on Thursday. Citizens in many parts of the city struggled to purchase their preferred brand of milk as supply was majorly affected.Some shops were able to sell milk pouches to their patrons, but their stocks were significantly less. Katraj and Chitale, the two major milk suppliers in the city markets, said the supply had dropped to “almost nil” on Thursday. RH Baheti, a grocery shop owner in Shivajingar, said his shop did not receive milk of Chitale brand on Thursday. “We got other brands, but my customers were not willing to go for the alternatives,” he said.On Thursday evening, Chitale Bandhu said adequate volumes of milk were now available. The tankers from its milk processing unit at Bhilwadi had reached the city by the evening under police protection.Ganesh Shetty, the president of Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers’ Association, said restaurants and hotels faced no problems as the delivery trucks had entered the city under police protection.

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