Dairy farmers in Tamil Nadu went on a strike on Friday demanding better procurement price for milk from state-run Aavin dairy cooperative, even as shortage of milk has been leading to delay in delivery of milk packets across the state in the past few days.
As part of the strike, farmers emptied cans of milk on several roads in western Tamil Nadu and demanded that the state government increase the procurement price for milk by cooperative societies. The dairy farmers also threatened that they will intensify their agitation and will stop supplying milk to Aavin, which could lead to further problems.
Aavin, according to sources, currently has a shortage of about 9 to 10 lakh litres a day, which could increase in the coming days. The shortage has already led to delay in delivery of milk packets to people across the state – the prices of Aavin milk are much cheaper than the ones sold by private companies.
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Tamil Nadu Milk Producers' Welfare Association (TNMPWA) president V Rajendran said they have sought an increase of Rs 7 per litre from Rs 35 to Rs 42 for cow milk and Rs 51 from Rs 44 for buffalo milk. “We have already communicated to the government about our demands which are quite reasonable. The price revision that we want is much lesser than the price given by private milk producing firms,” Rajendran said.
Another milk supplier said they are even considering stopping supply of milk to the cooperatives societies if the government doesn’t increase the rates. “Why should we sell at a much cheaper rate when private players give us more? We want to sell to Aavin and that is why we are negotiating. Hope the government heeds to our request,” he said.
However, the government said there was no shortage of milk in Tamil Nadu and dismissed the protests by milk suppliers. “Only a few are on the roads protesting, but others are supplying. There is no issue,” Dairy Development Minister S M Naser said.