Milk to turn costlier

In view of the state cabinet nod to increase milk procurement price by Re 2 for the next three months,prominent private as well as co-operative dairies in Western Maharashtra will meet at Katraj Dairy on Monday to take a decision on hiking milk prices. The decision would be made public on Monday itself.

Aarey Dairy has already hiked the price of cow’s milk it distributes under the government scheme by Re 1 a litre Saturday onwards. Katraj Dairy chairman Ramesh Bhujbal said,“After the cabinet nod to hike milk procurement rate by Rs 2 last week,we are going to decide our next move. We have convened a special meeting with representatives of private as well as co-operative dairies like Gokul,Mahanand.”

On Saturday,Aarey Dairy hiked the milk it sells in pouches from Rs 20 a litre to Rs 21. However,diary officials said that until the newly printed polythene pouches are made available,milk would be distributed in the old pouches.

A year ago,the Maharashtra State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation had made a steep hike of Rs 2 per litre for cow’s milk from August 11.

The move had been prompted by scarcity of fodder,shortage of diesel and furnace oil for milk producers.