Maharashtra dairies to up milk prices by Rs 3

PUNE: Sixty private and cooperative dairies in Maharashtra have decided to increase the selling price of milk by Rs 3/litre from February 16. The cow milk price will go up from Rs 26/litre to Rs 29/litre while the buffalo variety will go up from Rs 33/litre to Rs 36/litre. Amul, Mahanand and Gowardhan will take a call prices on Monday. Maharashtra dairies had raised milk prices by Rs 1/litre only last month.

Amul, the country’s top milk brand, finds the proposed increase a bit high. “We have already increased milk prices three times during the last one year. The hike of Rs 3/litre proposed by Maharashtra dairies is on the higher side. We will take a decision on our price revision on Monday.

But if there is a hike, it will be up to Rs 1/litre,” said Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation chief general manager RS Sodhi. With the increase of Rs 3/litre, users will have to pay 81% more than the procurement price as the cooperatives purchase milk for Rs 16/litre and sell it for Rs 29/litre, a difference of Rs 13/litre.