Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today clarified the risk in Aavin milk price and expressed confidence that it would not affect people.
Addressing reporters at Salem airport this morning, the Chief Minister, said, “Following demands from 4.6 lakh milk producers, we have hiked the milk procurement hike. Hence the prices per litre were increased for consumers. I already discussed the issue in the State Assembly. With the fodder cost, processing charges, transportation and logistics costs increasing, the price hike of milk is inevitable.”
In the last five years, the income has increased in almost all departments. Salaries too have been increased. The right due for milk producers should be given. It is a marginal hike and it would not affect common man.
On demands by farmers to release more water from Mettur dam, the Chief Minister said, “It will be decided based on the rains. We are monitoring the storage position closely.”
On Saturday, the State government announced a rise in milk prices by Rs 6 per litre. Holding that milk production play a vital role in boosting economy in rural areas, the government said milk procurement price has been increased by Rs 4 and Rs 6 for cow and buffalo milk, respectively.
As per the revised structure, cow milk will now cost Rs 32 per litre from the earlier Rs 28 and buffalo milk at Rs 41 per litre as against Rs 35. Prices of all variants of milk will be increased by Rs 6 per litre. This is being done to ensure that there is no compromise on the quality of milk supplied to consumers and to enhance infrastructure of milk producers besides handling processing charges, transportation and logistics costs.
The new price would come into effect from 19 August, it said. The previous revision in milk prices was in 2014, when the State government hiked it by Rs 10 per litre following demands from milk producers.