Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday defended the milk price hike, saying it was necessary to safeguard farmers' interests, particularly when the state was reeling under severe drought.
He said the decision also reflected the government's reverence for the cow, regarded as a mother, and its commitment to protecting cattle.
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved a Rs 8 per litre increase in milk prices across all categories.
According to Shivakumar, milk producers had sought a hike of Rs 12 per litre.
"Prices are much higher in neighbouring states, and farmers in Karnataka were moving their milk to those states. Milk availability is declining as well. Due to drought, milk production has come down," Shivakumar told reporters here.
"We have no other option. If we want to protect our cows, we must provide them with good food. To provide them with food, we need fodder. For fodder to be available, farmers must be in a good financial position and have money in their hands. Only when farmers have money can they sustain this; otherwise, production will keep declining," the CM said.
"We must do our part to show respect to Gomata (the cow revered as a mother) and protect cattle. Keeping the drought situation in mind, we have given this decision considerable thought," he added.
Shivakumar said milk prices had not been revised for several years, prompting the government to take the decision.
Asked about the Rs 14 per kg increase in the price of Nandini curd, he said the decision on curd prices rested with the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
"We have intervened only in the price of milk. As far as the other factors are concerned, if the fat content is higher, a corresponding rate is fixed, and the price goes up accordingly," he said.
In a subsequent post on X, the CM said the Karnataka government was steadfastly committed to protecting the livelihoods of dairy farmers while ensuring that Nandini products remained affordable for consumers.
The revised milk prices will come into effect from November 1.
Rising fodder and labour costs, increased fuel and packaging expenses, and a decline in daily milk procurement due to drought were the primary reasons for the unavoidable revision, he said.
Of the Rs 8 increase per litre, Rs 7 will go directly to farmers, raising the procurement price from Rs 35 to Rs 42 per litre. The remaining Re 1 will go to milk unions towards operational expenses, he said.
Including the Rs 5 incentive provided by the government, farmers will receive Rs 47 per litre of milk.
A farmer supplying 10 litres of milk a day will earn an additional Rs 2,100 a month, Shivakumar said.
The price revision is expected to generate an additional annual income of Rs 1,850 crore to Rs 2,100 crore for dairy farming families in the state, he added.
"Karnataka has a total of 28.84 lakh dairy farmers, of whom 67 per cent of KMF members are small and marginal farmers. This decision is a significant step towards providing fair remuneration for their hard work," the Chief Minister said.
Even after the revision, Nandini toned milk will cost Rs 54 per litre, lower than the prices of several major dairy brands in the country.
Similarly, Nandini Shubham milk, with 4.5 per cent fat content, will cost Rs 60 per litre, below the average price of Rs 62.80 in 10 other states, he said.
"Our government is committed to both protecting the interests of farmers and ensuring the supply of quality milk to consumers at affordable prices," the CM said.