The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), the second largest dairy co-operative in the country, has announced a Rs 2 per litre increase in prices for all variants of packaged milk and curd sold under the brand name Nandini, effective Thursday.
Nandini toned milk with 3 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent SNF (Solids-Not-Fat) will now cost Rs 39 per litre (earlier price Rs 37 per litre). Similarly, milk with 6 per cent fat and 9 per cent SNF is now priced at Rs 50 per litre (Rs 48), while the new price for curd per kg is fixed at Rs 47 (Rs 45).
KMF Chairman Balachandra Jharkiholi said the entire hike of Rs 2 per litre will be passed on to the dairy farmers. The dairy farmers in the state are faced with challenges such as rising feed and fodder costs and the spread of lumpy skin disease, which is seen impacting milk production in the state.
Daily milk procurement, which had touched 94.2 lakh litres during June 2022, has declined to 78.8 lakh litres. KMF attributes the decline to factors such as adverse climatic conditions, non-remunerative prices and lumpy skin disease, among others.
Farmer members of KMF get about 79 per cent of the consumer rupee. There are about 26 lakh farmers members of various milk unions in the state, of which on an average 10 lakh farmers sell their milk to KMF. Of these 10 lakh farmers, about 85 per cent are small and marginal farmers, who own about 1-3 cows. The previous hike effected by Nandini was in February, 2000.