(Blurb) Tajpur Road Dairy Association also mulling similar move, says president
With the festive season driving up demand for milk and dairy products, consumers in Ludhiana are set to face another price hike as the Haibowal Dairy Association has announced a ₹5-per-litre increase from November 1. The latest revision will take the cumulative increase in milk prices this year to ₹10 per litre.
Paramjeet Singh, chairman of the Haibowal Dairy Association, attributed the hike to rising input costs, including cattle feed, fodder, labour and fuel, which he said had squeezed dairy farmers’ margins. “A bag of cattle feed that cost around ₹2,500 a few months ago now costs ₹3,500. Fodder prices have risen from around ₹700 per quintal to over ₹1,000,” he said. He added that monthly wages for a worker had increased from ₹18,000 last year to around ₹20,000, while higher fuel prices had further added to the cost of running dairy operations.
Following the revision, cow’s milk will cost around ₹70 per litre against the current ₹65, while buffalo’s milk will rise from ₹80 to ₹85 per litre in retail markets. Wholesale rates will also increase by 30 paise per fat percentage, from ₹11.20 to ₹11.50 per 10% fat, Paramjeet Singh said.
The Tajpur Road Dairy Association is also considering a similar hike. Its president, Lovely Singh, said the association had received information about the Haibowal decision and would soon hold a meeting to decide on the revision.
{{/usCountry}}The Tajpur Road Dairy Association is also considering a similar hike. Its president, Lovely Singh, said the association had received information about the Haibowal decision and would soon hold a meeting to decide on the revision.
{{/usCountry}}The previous ₹5-per-litre hike was implemented in May. The latest increase is likely to put additional pressure on household budgets during the festive season and could have a cascading effect on the prices of milk-based products, including paneer, curd, ghee and sweets.