While the entire world celebrated World Milk Day on June 1, people in Sirsa are facing hike in milk prices due to the extreme heat . There is also the issue of power cuts and water shortages. Private dairies are selling buffalo milk for Rs 70 per kg, while cow milk is being sold for Rs 56 per litres. These prices have increased by Rs 3 to Rs 4 per litres over the past three to four days.
The Vita Milk Plant in Sirsa is also experiencing a decrease in daily milk supply by 5,000 liters due to the heat. However, the Vita Milk Plant management is offering reasonable prices to dairy farmers to maintain the milk supply. In April, the plant received 80,000 litres of milk per day, but now, this supply has decreased to 75,000 litres in May.
CEO of the plant Bishamber Kumar said the plant was currently offering higher prices to dairy farmers than private dairy players, which was helping in maintaining the supply. He said that the rate for buffalo milk with 10 per cent fat was Rs 76 per litre and for cow milk with 10 per cent fat, it was Rs 65 per litre. The plant sells milk based on different fat percentages, such as 4.5 and 8.7 per cent fat, which costs around Rs 60 per litre. Bishamber explained that due to the heat, the milk yield became low in animals and buffaloes were more affected compared to cows. A resident Rohit Saini said the milk prices had gone up due to the severe heat in May. He said he noticed Rs 4 hike per kg in prices when he bought it from the dairy today. Rohit stated that the rise in prices and other food items, along with reduced business activities due to the heat, was a double burden on the common man.
Dr Sukhwinder Singh Chauhan, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, Sirsa, explained that milk was an important source of calcium, vitamin D, protein, potassium, fat and other nutrients essential for human health. According to FAO statistics, the dairy sector supported the livelihoods of over a billion people worldwide, and more than six billion people consumed dairy products.
The Brihattar Guwahati Gau Palak Sanstha has announced a hike in the prices of milk in the city by Rs 5.50 per litre from today. This hike takes the wholesale price of this essential commodity to Rs 62 from the previous Rs 56.50. The retail prices are also expected to reach Rs 75.80 per litre after this hike from the previous Rs 65.70.
This hike will impact the prices of all dairy products as well. While the wholesalers have asked the organisation to reduce the price as the steep hike might affect several sectors, including the domestic consumers of this essential commodity, the Brihattar Guwahati Gau Palak Sanstha remains adamant regarding their decision and has threatened to discontinue supplying milk if this hike is not supported by them.
Source: The Tribune and Sentinel Assam
