BENGALURU: The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has submitted a proposal to the state government to increase the price of Nandini brand of milk. The government is expected to give the green signal for the price hike soon after the Assembly session.
The KMF had earlier threatened to launch a protest if the government did not agree to increase the milk price. The federation has been demanding a price hike for several months now.
The Hotel Owners’ Association has opposed the proposed price hike, saying it will burden consumers and also affect their business. They argue that the government should instead provide subsidies to farmers to support the dairy industry.
The hotel owners’ association has now appealed to KMF MD Bhima Naik not to increase the price of milk.
The association’s secretary, Madhukar Shetty, said that if the milk price is increased, they will have to raise the prices of all food items, including coffee and tea, which will ultimately burden the consumers.
Madhukar Shetty said, “Being in the hotel business, ultimately we use farmers’ products, whether it’s vegetables, milk, or butter. We also encourage them. It can be said that it is more of a burden to the public than it is a benefit to farmers. Coffee powder rates were hiked in January, burdening the customers. If the price of milk packets increase, definitely by-products including butter, ghee, curd, and paneer prices will increase. Price hikes directly affect customers”.
