Milk procurement price has been reduced: Farmer
Farmers’ leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar told TNIE that apart from not paying incentives, farmers are given one rupee less per litre of milk procured. There are about 38 lakh dairy farmers in the state and more than 90% of them are women. “The state government speaks about women’s empowerment, but is silent on payment of incentives to them,’’ he said.
According to Shanthakumar, the incentives to be paid to dairy farmers amounted to over Rs 1,000 crore.
Lathamani Basavaraju, a dairy farmer, said she has not received any incentive for milk procured from her from February 2024. “Moreover, the milk procurement price has been reduced. I was getting Rs 34 per litre and now, I am being paid Rs 32.27. When we questioned, they stated that they don’t have money,’’ she added.
The government hiked the price in June, claiming that the quantity of milk in sachets has been increased. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the move stating that farmers will be benefitted by this. “Though the government has increased the milk price, the money collected is not being given to farmers,’’ said Lakshmavva, a dairy farmer from Ramanagara.
