Omfed raises milk procurement price by Rs 2

Omfed, Odisha’s state dairy cooperative, has approved a Rs 2-per-litre increase in the price it pays for milk collected from farmers. The revised procurement rate will take effect on September 11, according to Gokulananda Mallik, the state’s minister of state for Animal Resources Development.

The increase applies to farmers who supply milk through Omfed’s collection network. The cooperative said the change would cover more than 300,000 dairy farmers across Odisha. The price paid to consumers for Omfed milk and other dairy products will not change, and retail rates will continue at their existing levels.

The decision follows demands from milk producers for higher payments as the cost of dairy farming has risen. Prices of several feed ingredients, including maize, de-oiled rice bran, rice polish and mustard oil cake, have increased by more than 25 per cent. Farmers have also faced higher expenses for cattle feed, fodder and other inputs used in daily operations.

Recent increases in global oil prices have added to agricultural and transport costs. Mr Mallik also referred to higher diesel and transportation expenses, including those associated with floods at different times and the war in the Middle East. He said these increases had also affected the cost of cattle feed.

Omfed currently procures more than 700,000 litres of milk a day from its farmer network. Collection takes place through 4,616 primary dairy co-operative societies operating across the state. Mr Mallik said the higher procurement payment had been approved in response to the demands of milk producers in Odisha.

The state government is also establishing 1,200 additional dairy co-operative societies in different districts. Construction has begun, and the new societies are expected to start operating soon. The expansion is intended to strengthen Odisha’s dairy co-operative network and support farmers’ participation in milk collection.