Dairy farmers in the district under the aegis of Primary Milk Societies Association are gearing up to launch a series of agitations raising a slew of demands including a hike in milk price.
Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, H.B. Pradeep and M. Lalu, president and general secretary respectively of the association, said though milk production in the district had reached an all-time high, dairy farmers in severe crisis owing to increasing input and low return.
The prices of fodder and cattle feed have increased considerably in the past few years, but the farm gate price of milk is yet to be revised. Hence the government should hike the farm gate price in accordance with the changing scenario, Mr. Pradeepan said.
If the government cannot hike the price, it should adopt steps to ensure that dairy farmers are getting incentives throughout the year with financial assistance from Milma, Dairy Development Department, and three-tier local administrative bodies, he added.
The association also raised demands such as resumption of insurance policies implemented by Milma and hike in chilling charge and transportation charges.
The organisation, in association with dairy farmers in the district, will stage fasts in front of the Milma dairy plant at Chuzhaly and the Wayanad collectorate on Saturday and August 17, they said. If the government fails to consider the demands, the association will resort to indefinite agitations, they warned.