Karnataka 'revises' milk prices by Rs 2 with additional 50 ml in every pouch

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday revised the price of milk in the state by Rs 2, with an additional 50 ml of milk added to each packet.

The revised rates will come into effect from Wednesday.

Claiming that milk prices have not been hiked, Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) President Bheema Naik said, “We are charging Rs 2 additionally for the 50 ml extra milk which is going to be added to each packet."

Accordingly, the price per litre of milk of any variety will increase by Rs 2. The most popular blue packet of 1 litre of Nandini milk will now cost Rs 44, up from Rs 42.

Speaking to mediapersons after announcing the price revision, Naik said the decision was made to avoid losses for the KMF.

He reiterated that there is no increase in the price of milk, but the extra charge is for the 50 ml of milk to be added to each packet.

He also said that earlier, 94.47 lakh litres of milk were collected from the farmers every day, which has increased to 98.17 lakh litres. Out of this, 30 lakh litres of milk are used to produce powder, and the KMF is incurring losses in this process.

Soon, the KMF will start receiving 1 crore litres of milk from the farmers, he said.

“We cannot send back the farmers and must purchase all the milk they bring to the dairies,” Naik said.

The milk price per litre in Gujarat and Maharashtra is Rs 56, in Kerala it is Rs 54, while in Andhra Pradesh it is Rs 58, he said.

“Our rate is Rs 16 less compared to the other states. There will be no price hike for any of the other Nandini products,” Naik said.