Chennai, Aug. 26:
The Communist Party of India has urged the Tamil Nadu government to increase Aavinās milk procurement price to Rs 48 per litre, arguing that the recent increase announced by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was inadequate to address the demands and livelihood concerns of milk producers.
CPI State Secretary M. Veerapandian said milk producers had been demanding a substantial revision in procurement prices in view of rising production costs and economic pressures.
Chief Minister Vijay had announced under Rule 110 in the Assembly on August 19 that the milk procurement price would be increased from Rs 38 to Rs 41 per litre.
While welcoming the Rs 3 increase, Veerapandian said milk producers continued to demand that the procurement price be raised to Rs 48 per litre.
He said the interests and livelihood of more than three lakh milk producers in Tamil Nadu should be taken into account while deciding the procurement price.
The CPI leader urged the government to immediately increase the rate to Rs 48 per litre to provide greater economic relief to dairy farmers.
At the same time, he stressed that consumers should not be burdened with a corresponding increase in retail milk prices. The State government should instead provide suitable financial support and subsidies to Aavin to absorb the additional procurement cost, he said.
The CPI State executive committee called upon the government to balance the interests of both milk producers and consumers while strengthening the cooperative dairy sector.