Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets milk and milk products under Amul brand, has increased the prices of milk, for a second time this year after July 1, by Rs 2 per litre with effect from Monday.
This time, GCMMF did not issue any press announcement to this effect.
It just gave advertisements in some newspapers on Sunday, declaring the price hike. The advertisements, showing a milk farming woman, said: “She feeds the nation. She has to feed her family too.”
“The price revision is not restricted to Gujarat region, but is being implemented in all the markets where Amul milk is sold.”
When asked, a GCMMF spokesman said that “the advertisement itself like a press note!”
According to GCMMF sources, the prices have to be increased by 10 per cent compared to last year, due to food inflation being 18 per cent and scarcity of fodder due to excessive rains this year
Early in October, GCMMF had decided to increase the prices before Diwali. The increased prices have come into effect in Ahmedabad and the Saurashtra markets from Monday, while the new prices came into effect in Surat last Saturday.
In rest of Gujarat, the increased prices will become effective by month-end.
Earlier, Amul had increased the prices in Delhi and NCR regions, effective October 15.
With this price rise, Amul’s milk brands like Gold will cost Rs 44, Shakti and Tea Special Rs 44 each, cow milk Rs 37, Taaza Rs 33 and slim and trim Rs 31 across Gujarat market, except Surat.
In 2012 also, Amul had increased the prices twice, in April and September. Prices of other milk products, too, have gone up by 10 per cent each in the last two months.