Milk Payment Crisis Sparks Farmer Protest at Mother Dairy Facility in Telangana
Yadadri Bhongir, Telangana — Dairy farmers from Mushaptal village in Mothkur mandal launched a protest on Wednesday by locking the gate of the Mother Dairy chilling centre in Yadadri Bhongir. The reason: three months of unpaid milk bills, despite regular milk procurement.
Tensions escalated when the protesters, who included members of the local dairy farmers’ Society, called Mother Dairy Chairman Madhusudan Reddy to raise their concerns. Instead of assurances, they allege they were threatened and told to cease the protest immediately. Farmers condemned the remarks, accusing the chairman of trying to suppress legitimate demands with intimidation.
Leading the protest was Kavitha, the chairperson of the Mothkur Dairy Farmers’ Society, who stated:
"We have been supplying milk daily, trusting the system. But withholding payments for three months is unjust and unsustainable for small dairy farmers. Threats will not silence our voices."
The protest highlights growing unrest within the Telangana dairy sector, particularly among smallholder farmers who are facing rising feed costs, delayed procurement payments, and a lack of transparency.
This incident also raises broader concerns around milk procurement prices, dairy cooperative accountability, and the financial viability of rural dairy operations in India.
As dairy cooperatives and private players expand operations, timely payments and transparent processes remain essential to protect farmer livelihoods and maintain trust in the Indian dairy industry.