Dairy farmers hold protest, reject govt’s ₹20/kg milk fat hike
LIFT DHARNA OUTSIDE MOHALI VERKA MILK PLANT LATE AT NIGHT AFTER ASSURANCE FROM OFFICIALS TO HOLD A MEETING ON MONDAY
CHANDIGARH: Punjab dairy farmers on Saturday held a protest in front of the Verka milk plant in Mohali, seeking hike in milk procurement prices.
Though the AAP government on Saturday announced to increase the procurement price to Rs 20 per kg milk fat, the protesting farmers rejected it as inadequate, saying they want a hike of at least Rs 100 per kg.
Under the banner of Progressive Dairy Farmers’ Association (PDFA), farmers from several parts of the state gathered outside the Verka milk plant in Mohali. They blocked one side of the main road leading to Chandigarh in support of their demands, putting commuters to inconvenience.
The protesters also blocked the entry gates of the Verka milk plant. However, the farmers ended their protest after assurance from the government late in the night. Daljit Singh Sadarpura, president of the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA) said: “We have lifted the dharna as the government officials have given assurance and have called us for a meeting on Monday.”
Earlier in the day, Sadarpura said the milk prices have not been increased in the past two years while their input prices, including feed prices, have almost doubled. “The price of soybean has increased from Rs 3,200 per quintal a year ago to Rs 7,200 per quintal. Similarly, the prices of other items have also gone up which hit the dairy sector hard,” said Sadarpura.
He said several dairy farmers who have been suffering because of inadequate returns have started selling their cattle. The Covid-19 pandemic also hit the dairy sector hard, he said.
He said the state government should raise the procurement price by at least Rs 100 per kg milk fat. At present, Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited (Milkfed) is giving Rs 730 per kg fat to dairy farmers, said Sadarpura.
Since March this year, Milkfed has already raised prices by Rs 50 per kg fat.
Punjab cooperation minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured farmers that in future also, more concrete steps would be taken for the benefit of milk producers, according to an official statement.