Karnataka to increase milk and curd prices by Rs 4 from April 1

On Monday, Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited and various district milk-producing cooperative societies sought a hike in milk prices during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Though the cooperative societies had sought a share in the hike to be transferred to them in the wake of rising maintenance costs, the government insisted the increase be transferred directly to farmers.

Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna said the price of cows had increased from Rs 40,000 to Rs 70,000-80,000 and that feed and labour costs had almost doubled, adding that the price hikes were aimed at benefiting milk producers in the state. “I agree that consumers will be affected and unhappy with the hike,” he said, while highlighting that the milk prices in Karnataka would still be lower than those in neighbouring states.

After the hikes, toned milk (blue packets) will cost Rs 46 per litre and homogenised toned milk Rs 47. Similarly, cow milk (green packet) will cost Rs 50 per litre, special milk (orange packet) Rs 50 per litre and curd Rs 54 per litre. All prices have been hiked uniformly by Rs 4 per litre.

According to details shared by the minister, milk prices in Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are Rs 52, Rs 53, Rs 52 and Rs 60 per litre, respectively.

The Opposition BJP has criticised the milk price hikes. Its state president, B Y Vijayendra, said the Congress government had been raising the prices of one product after another since it came to power, pointing to the hikes in power tariffs, bus fares and the prices of essential commodities.

“The decision to hike milk prices by Rs 4 is nothing but daylight robbery as the government has decided to steal from the pockets of the common man,” he said in a post on X.