With household budgets already bearing the brunt of rising inflation, a ₹3 increase in milk prices has come as a shock for the city residents, who say that the hike is set to put additional burden on their pockets.
It is the fourth time in the year that milk prices have increased. After an announcement by milk industry giants - Amul and Verka - local dairy associations have also decided to increase the prices.
Prices were hiked by ₹2 in October, August, and March last year. For a half-liter pack of milk, Verka, which is the largest supplier of packed milk in the city, has revised the rates from ₹29 to ₹30, while the price of a 1-liter pack has been increased from ₹57 to ₹60.
Mrinal Kapoor, a city resident, said that “as milk is a regular ingredient in several household recipes and part of staple diet, the rise will impact the household budget by ₹200 to 400. With prices of a daily commodity shooting up like this, milk seems to have become a luxury.”
He added that the prices of wheat flour have increased by 10 percent in recent days and such price hikes burn a hole in the pocket.
{{/usCountry}}He added that the prices of wheat flour have increased by 10 percent in recent days and such price hikes burn a hole in the pocket.
{{/usCountry}}Another resident Baljinder Kaur said that earlier the prices of packed milk were increased by two rupees, but this time they have gone up by ₹3, while the vendors who deliver milk in the residential areas have increased by ₹5 to 10.
She said as the concerns over adulteration in milk products remain high, residents have to shell out more money to procure quality milk.
According to dairy associations, prices will be increased by ₹3 as the rising cost of inputs and lack of supply constraints after the lumpy skin disease has hit the dairy farming industry badly.
Chairperson of Haibowal Dairy Owners’ Association Paramjit Singh Bobby said that the price of cow milk has now increased from ₹57 to ₹60, the price of cow-buffalo mix milk has gone up from ₹67 to ₹70 and buffalo milk price has surged from ₹77 to ₹80.
He said that dairies at Haibowal dairy complex supply around 1.5 lakh litre of milk to wholesale and retail buyers on a daily basis.
He said the price of per kg animal feed has gone up by ₹6 to 7 along with a hike in grains which is the reason behind the hike.
He said that after the Lumpy skin disease, prices of cattle have also shot up.
President of Punjab Halwai Association Narinder Pal Singh Pappu said that with the hike in milk prices by the suppliers, the input cost for preparing cheese, the main ingredient in sweets will see a rise by 5 to 10 per cent.
The prices of other products and snacks in which milk is used will be revised as per the new arrangements, he added.