Protest against failure to hike milk price

Milma director board members, led by John Theruvoth, former chairperson of the Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, walked out of a special general body meeting of the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) here on Thursday in protest against the failure to hike the price of milk.

The federation representatives had been seeking an increase in the price of milk by ₹10 a litre against the backdrop of dairy farmers in Kerala not receiving income in proportion to production costs, prompting small and marginal dairies to exit the sector. At a meeting between federation representatives and the Dairy Development department, it was decided to revise milk prices upwards by ₹4 to ₹6 after the local body elections.

However, nearly three months later, no decision had been taken regarding the hike, Mr. Theruvoth alleged. In fact, the issue did not even figure on the agenda for the special general body meeting. When the director board members tried to raise the issue, Milma chairperson K.S. Mani did not have anything to say, prompting the former to walk out of the meeting, Mr. Theruvoth said.

‘No politics’

Those who walked out included CPI(M) and Congress loyalists, he said, adding that there was no politics when it came to milk.

Director board members Sony Ettakkel, Paul Mathew, Ajesh Menon, and Joymon participated in the protest.

Mr. Mani said Milma had given the government a note last month seeking its opinion on the price hike, including the apportioning for farmers, milk societies, and others. As soon a reply was received, the hike will be implemented. A letter was also being sent to the government as a reminder.

In the meanwhile, to support the farmers, Milma had hiked the subsidy on a bag of Milma cattle feed from ₹200 to ₹300.

Moreover, the Malabar Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union would give an additional incentive of ₹5 a litre to dairy farmers in March on the basis of the production in January. The other two unions - in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram - could also consider similar measures depending on their profits, Mr. Mani said.