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Karnataka selling ‘cheapest’ milk: CM as cabinet agrees to ₹3/litre hike in Nandini milk prices
Deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar echoed the chief minister’s sentiments, saying that the price hike was necessary to support the milk producers and farmers.
Bengaluru:
The Karnataka cabinet has given the green signal for a ₹3 per litre hike in the price of Nandini milk, a popular brand under the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). This decision, taken on Thursday during a cabinet meeting, comes in response to demands from milk producers.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah emphasised that Karnataka has been selling milk at the lowest price in comparison to other states, where the rates are substantially higher. “The milk [toned] that costs ₹39 will now be sold at ₹42 per litre. Elsewhere, it is sold between ₹54 and ₹56 per litre. In Tamil Nadu the price is ₹44 per litre,” the chief minister said.
Deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar echoed the chief minister’s sentiments, saying that the price hike was necessary to support the milk producers and farmers. “We have to give money to the farmers [milk producers]. Today in the entire country it’s [toned milk] ₹56 per litre. In our state, people are getting at a very less price.” He also said the government had decided to hike milk prices by three rupees to help farmers.
Notably, the last time the milk prices were increased were in November 2022, when the KMF had initially raised it by ₹3 per litre. However, due to intervention by the then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, the hike was capped at ₹2 per litre.
“Despite the price hike in November 2022, Nandini milk’s selling price in Karnataka remains significantly cheaper than that of other private companies. While Nandini milk starts at ₹39 per litre, private firms are selling their milk at prices ranging from ₹48 to ₹52 per litre,” said a senior KMF official.
Ahead of the state assembly elections, Karnataka witnessed a heated Amul vs. Nandini row, with the Opposition, including the Congress and pro-Kannada groups, criticizing the BJP government for allowing Amul to sell fresh milk and curd in Bengaluru. They alleged that this move could adversely impact the business of the local brand Nandini.
