DKMUL Requests Higher Milk Prices in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi
The Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. (DKMUL) has called on the State government to allow a higher selling price for milk in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, highlighting the increased costs local farmers endure to produce milk. Specifically, DKMUL is requesting a price hike of ₹3 per litre above the rate set for other parts of the State. This adjustment is aimed at directly benefiting the farmers in the region.
According to DKMUL president K.P. Sucharitha Shetty, the government is currently reconsidering the pricing structure for milk. "Taking into account the substantial expenses involved in milk production here, it's imperative that the selling price in these two districts is elevated by ₹3 to support our farmers," he remarked during a press conference in Mangaluru on Tuesday.
Historical precedent was noted by former DKMUL president Raviraja Hegde, who recalled that a similar differential pricing strategy was employed in 2007 when the area faced a significant drop in milk production, recorded at merely 2 lakh litres per day. However, as production normalized, the government reverted to a uniform pricing model across the State.
Currently, DKMUL is procuring approximately 3.4 lakh litres of milk daily across the two districts, falling short of the 5.25 lakh litres in demand. To bridge this gap, milk is being sourced from neighboring unions, including those in Hassan and Bengaluru. DKMUL is also implementing strategies to encourage increased production, aiming to elevate procurement by an additional 50,000 litres in the coming days.
DKMUL Managing Director D. Vivek stated that farmers currently receive ₹36.74 per litre, plus a ₹5 incentive from the State government. Should the proposed ₹3 increase come into effect, the total compensation for farmers would reach ₹44.74 per litre. Comparatively, milk procurement prices are ₹52 per litre in Kerala and ₹50 per litre by AMUL.
As part of their initiatives, the union plans to introduce special incentives ranging from ₹1 to ₹1.5 per litre for farmers and milk societies starting from January 1, 2025. This effort is projected to cost DKMUL approximately ₹55 lakh. Furthermore, the Karnataka Milk Federation’s (KMF) popular Idli and Dosa batter, currently sold in Bengaluru, will soon be available in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, expanding its reach to more consumers.
