Bengaluru, October 29: The Karnataka government has increased Nandini milk prices by Rs 8 per litre, effective November 1, 2026. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar defended the decision, stating that the price hike aims to protect dairy farmers from losses caused by rising production and transportation costs.
According to the Karnataka Cabinet’s decision, Rs 7 from the increase will go directly to farmers, while the remaining Re 1 will go to the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which markets dairy products under the Nandini brand.
Why Has Karnataka Increased Nandini Milk Prices?
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the government decided to revise milk prices after consultations with stakeholders. He explained that the costs of production, transportation, fuel and plastic packaging had increased significantly.
The Chief Minister said dairy farmers had been demanding a price revision for the past two years. He added that the government had considered the interests of farmers before taking the decision.
Shivakumar noted that legislators from different political parties had also demanded a milk price hike in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. However, the government could not make a decision earlier because of the MLC elections.
Karnataka Milk Prices Lower Than Neighbouring States
The Chief Minister said Nandini milk prices in Karnataka were lower than those in several neighbouring states. According to him, the price difference had encouraged some milk supplies to move to other states, including Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
He argued that revising prices would help address this issue while ensuring better returns for dairy farmers.
Shivakumar also highlighted the demand for Nandini ghee outside Karnataka. He said the product was used by Tirupati and was valued by consumers for preparing Mysore Pak and other traditional sweets.
Will the Milk Price Hike Burden Consumers?
The Rs 8 per litre increase is expected to raise the cost of purchasing Nandini milk for consumers from November 1. Defending the decision, Shivakumar said the government must balance consumer interests with the need to provide adequate returns to farmers.
He also pointed out that consumers pay substantial amounts for drinking water and maintained that milk prices in Karnataka remained relatively low compared with neighbouring states.
The government believes the price revision will help dairy farmers manage rising expenses and reduce their financial losses.
Karnataka Government May Also Increase Bus Fares
Meanwhile, Shivakumar indicated that Karnataka could consider a bus fare hike in the coming days. He said state transport corporations were facing financial difficulties and had suffered significant losses.
The Chief Minister stated that transport corporations were struggling to meet expenses, including diesel costs. He also referred to the government’s free bus travel scheme for women as one of the factors affecting the department’s financial position.
According to Shivakumar, the Transport Department has been asked to take a decision on the matter.
The possible bus fare revision could become another major public policy issue in Karnataka, alongside the recently announced Nandini milk price increase.
