Two major cooperative milk producers unions met the district collector Aneesh Sekhar on Wednesday and filed a petition regarding the incentive.
In October 2022, unions in the state were demanding a rise of 10 from the 2022 procurement price level which was 32. The government increased the procurement price to 35 on October 20, 2022. But, the meagre rise in procurement price upset the unions.
Tamil Nadu milk producers union’s Madurai district president, Venmani Chandran said that private agencies are procuring one litre of milk at 45, while the Aavin society’s procurement price is far behind the market price.
Many farmers are urging the unions to sell the milk to private agencies to get a higher price. “We are still selling to Aavin because of the trust we have in the society but that can’t be an excuse to set the procurement price much lower than the market price,” he said.
“Every farmer will not get 35 per litre, it will be decreased till 32 based on the fat level and solid not fat (SNF) level,” said Inbaraj. He also accused Aavin officials for threatening the unions of cancelling the licence if they stop milk supply suddenly.
Muthu Pandi, a milk man who sells to one such union at Karumathur in Madurai said that the government has to increase considering the cost of fodder and medicine spent for a cow.
General manager of Aavin milk cooperative society Madurai district, T R D Shanthi said that the state government cannot give incentive only for Madurai district. If the procurement price is increased it will be done for the whole state. “We will communicate the demand to the state government. The government will decide based on the demands,” said the general manager.
