BENGALURU: For people already distressed by price rise, another shock is coming with Nandini milk prices set to increase soon. Its effect will be felt on the hotel and bakery sectors and prices of coffee and tea are also likely to go up.
For people distressed by price rise everyday, the prices of Nandini milk is expected to increase in the coming days. As milk production and management costs have increased severely, 16 milk unions of state had requested government to increase Nandini milk selling rate.
If the milk prices are hiked, the effect will also be felt on hotels and bakeries. For the hotel industry already distressed by price rise of sugar, jaggery, rice, pulses etc., the milk rate hike will draw another wound.
Bengaluru hotels daily need about 5-6 lakh litres of Nandini milk. In this regard Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association has requested KMF and government not to hike the price in one go, and instead increase Nandini milk price by Rs 2-3 per litre, so it will not burden common people and the hotel industry.
Further, if the rate hike is steep, it will give more encouragement to private milk brands. If the hike is more than Rs 3 per litre, then hotel snacks, eatables, coffee and tea rate will have to inevitably be increased says Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association.
PC Rao, honorary president of the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association told Public TV, “Almost all hotels in Bengaluru use Nandini milk and ghee. It is being said that the price of milk will be increase by Rs 8-10 per litre and we have already said that this should be done in stages. They can revise prices every six months by Rs 2-3. A huge hike will be a burden on hoteliers. Also, people may turn towards private milk suppliers and this should not happen. We also support farmers. If the hike is Rs 2-3 per litre, we won’t have to increase prices of coffe and tea. But if the hike is in the range of Rs 8-10, then we will be forced to raise prices”.
Not only milk, but the prices of other products like curd, butter, ghee, paneer, etc., are also likely to increase. So, if milk price is hiked by more than Rs 3 per litre, hotel rates especially coffee, tea is most likely to increase. Along with that, sweet stalls, and bakeries will also increase prices.
The bakery industry and small entrepreneurs have also called a meeting to decide about the price hike. Already, prices of sugar and other inputs have increased but bakeries are contemplating about passing on as less burden on to customers as possible.
