Bengaluru, Oct 31 The Karnataka Milk Federation’s (KMF) decision to hike Nandini curd prices by up to Rs 14 per kg from November 1, drew flak from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and the Bangalore Hotels Association, who termed the increase excessive and said it would place an additional burden on consumers and businesses.
The revised prices, announced by KMF on Friday, include an increase in the price of a 500-gram curd pouch from Rs 28 to Rs 34 and a one-kg pouch from Rs 54 to Rs 68.
The federation has also increased the price of different varieties of Nandini milk by Rs two to Rs 12 per litre.
“The Congress government has robbed the common people by imposing an unprecedented price hike, never witnessed before in Karnataka’s history,” Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said in a post on X, criticising the curd price revision.
Joshi pointed out that the 500-gram curd pouch had become costlier by Rs six (21.43 per cent), while the one-kg pouch saw an increase of Rs 14 (25.93 per cent).
“Curd is not a luxury commodity but an essential part of the daily diet,” he said, alleging that the government was making ordinary citizens pay for its financial mismanagement and depleted coffers.
The Bangalore Hotels Association also opposed the curd price hike, urging the KMF to restrict the increase to Rs eight per kg in line with the recent increase in milk prices.
In a statement, the association said milk prices had been increased by Rs eight per litre for the first time in the state’s history, causing difficulties for businesses and the general public.
“Along with this, increasing the price of curd by Rs 14 per kg from November 1, without any prior notice, is not reasonable. Going by the previous calculations, the price of curd should have been increased by only Rs eight. However, increasing it by Rs 14 will impose an additional burden on consumers and businesses,” it said.
P C Rao, honorary president of the association, said the increase was unjustified and could adversely affect the hotel industry as well as ordinary consumers.
“When the price of milk has been increased by Rs eight, the price of curd should also have been increased by only Rs eight. Increasing it by Rs 14 is a great injustice,” he said.
He also questioned the manner in which the decision was taken, saying that increasing the prices of milk products without obtaining approval at a ministers’ meeting could lead to serious problems.
Defending the revision, the KMF said the decision was taken in the interest of dairy farmers, who were facing increased costs of maintaining cattle, veterinary care, medicines and fodder amid inadequate and untimely rainfall and drought-like conditions.
In its October 30 press release, the federation said milk producers had sought an increase of at least Rs 10 to Rs 12 per litre in procurement prices.
Following discussions in the State Cabinet, the selling price of Nandini Toned Milk was revised upwards by Rs eight per litre, of which Rs seven would be passed on to milk producers, it said.
The revised prices of all milk and curd varieties were determined based on fat content, the interests of dairy farmers and prevailing market prices of competing brands, the KMF said.
The federation said Karnataka had approximately 26.89 lakh dairy farmer members, of whom around 8.9 lakh supplied milk to cooperative societies daily. It currently pays an average of Rs 28.60 crore per day to milk producers.
“KMF-Nandini is not merely a milk brand; it is the livelihood of lakhs of dairy farmers and a vital pillar of the rural economy of Karnataka,” the federation said, appealing to consumers to continue supporting the state’s dairy farmers by purchasing Nandini products.
(PTI News)
