CHANDIGARH:To support its milk producers, Punjab Co-operation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has announced to increase milk procurement/purchase price by Rs. 20 per kg milk fat w.e.f. 1.4.2022.
Divulging the details, he said that the recent increase in diesel/petrol prices as well as the sharp price rise in raw ingredients used in production of cattle feed for milch animals, has reduced the profits of milk producers. Milkfed has decided to increase its milk procurement rate by Rs. 20 per kg milk fat in order to help the farmers to increase their profit.
He said that considering the increase in day to day expenses incurred by the milk producers on account of milk production costs, Milkfed had previously increased its milk procurement rates by Rs. 20 per kg milk fat on 1.3.2022.
Additional Chief Secretary, Co-operation Anurag Agarwal, added that Milkfed Punjab has always been supporting its Milk Producer Members involved in the dairy business, especially during the Covid pandemic period. The private milk players stopped buying milk from the milk producers across the state during the pandemic days. Some of the private milk buyers drastically decreased their milk purchase prices which badly affected the small and marginal dairy farmers. But to support Punjab's milk producers, Milkfed is increasing its milk procurement price by Rs 20/- per kg milk fat w.e.f. 01.04.2022.
Further, the Registrar Cooperative Societies, Punjab, Arun Sekhri said that the increase in milk prices would not only benefit the existing milk producers but will also attract the unemployed educated youth towards the dairying business which ultimately can be helpful in reducing the unemployment in the state.
On this occasion, Managing Director, Milkfed Punjab, Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said that Verka always instils a sense of belongingness in its dairy farmers and also strengthens in them a sense of responsibility to produce high quality milk. To encourage its milk producers, Milkfed is paying higher milk procurement price than its neighbouring states. This will help Verka to get the best quality raw milk for ensuring high quality milk products for its consumers. He has assured that in future also more concrete steps would be taken for the benefit of milk producers and best quality milk products will be supplied by Verka to the consumers in the state.