Keralam: Milma hikes milk price by ₹4 per litre; revised rates to come into effect from June 1
Thiruvananthapuram, May 21
The Keralam Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation has announced a hike of Rs 4 per litre in milk prices across the state, with the revised rates set to come into effect from June 1.
The decision was taken on Wednesday by the Board of Directors of the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), popularly known as Milma, which was held earlier in the day.
Officials said that out of the Rs 4 increase, Rs 3.35 per litre will be directly passed on to dairy farmers to support their income amid rising production costs.
Milma had earlier sought a price revision in the range of Rs 4 to Rs 6 per litre, citing escalating input costs and financial stress faced by dairy farmers. Regional unions had also been consistently demanding an upward revision in milk prices to ensure better returns for producers.
According to Milma, severe drought conditions and a sharp increase in the price of milk procured from neighbouring states have led to losses in milk sales for regional unions. The federation said dairy farmers in Kerala are facing significant hardship due to rising production costs coupled with reduced income.
"Considering the significant increase in the cost of production inputs and to retain dairy farmers in the sector, a milk price hike has become extremely necessary," Milma said in a statement.
Milma also indicated that prices of other milk-based products are likely to increase in the coming days.
Milma has announced a hike of Rs 4 per litre in milk prices in the state. The revised prices will come into effect from June 1.
The decision was taken on Wednesday at the Milma Board of Directors meeting held earlier in the day. Officials said Rs 3.35 from the increased amount would go directly to dairy farmers.
Milma had earlier sought a price hike of Rs 4 to Rs 6 per litre, citing rising production costs and financial difficulties faced by dairy farmers. Regional unions had also been repeatedly demanding a revision in milk prices to support farmers.
According to Milma, severe drought conditions and the sharp increase in the price of milk procured from neighbouring states have resulted in losses in milk sales for regional unions. The federation said dairy farmers in Kerala are facing hardships due to rising production costs and reduced income.
"Considering the significant increase in the cost of production inputs and to retain dairy farmers in the sector, a milk price hike has become extremely necessary," Milma said in a statement.
Milma also indicated that prices of other milk products are likely to increase.
Meanwhile, in the national capital, Mother Dairy has increased consumer prices of its liquid milk variants by Rs 2 per litre, with the revised rates set to come into effect from May 14.
In a statement, Mother Dairy on Wednesday said the revision has been made due to a sustained increase in farmer procurement prices over the past year.
"Mother Dairy will revise the consumer prices of its liquid milk variants by Rs 2 per litre, effective May 14, 2026. The revision has been necessitated in view of the sustained increase in farmer procurement prices of around 6 per cent over the past one year," the statement said.
The company said the increase is only a partial pass-through of higher costs and is aimed at balancing farmer welfare and consumer interests.
"This revision represents only a partial pass-through of increased costs and is aimed at maintaining a fair balance between farmer welfare and consumer interests," a Mother Dairy spokesperson said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a Malayali, I know our farmers work hard. But at the same time, many families are struggling with rising costs of everything. The government should also look at subsidizing milk for the poor. Otherwise, it's just a vicious cycle. 🤷♀️
The drought conditions and rising costs are real. I'm glad Milma is finally addressing the issue. But why didn't they do this incrementally? ₹4 at one go is too much. And now other milk products will also become expensive. Inflation is killing us! 😤
I moved to Kerala from the US recently, and I'm amazed at how much families rely on milk here. ₹4 hike might seem small, but when you multiply by 30 days, it adds up. Hope the farmers are actually compensated fairly. Transparency is key! 🌱
Finally some good news for our dairy farmers! They deserve better prices. But let's be honest, will the common man really benefit from this? The middlemen and big dairies always find a way to exploit both ends. Hope Milma ensures that the extra money goes to the actual producers. 🙏
This is a necessary evil. The drought conditions and rising input costs mean farmers can't survive without a price increase. But I'm worried about the impact on low-income families. The government should provide some sort of subsidy or relief. Otherwise, it's just another burden on the middle class. 😐
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