Mumbai: Amul hikes milk price by Rs 2/litre

Amul, India's largest milk producer, has increased the retail price of milk by Rs 2 a litre. The new rates will be levied in Mumbai from Monday. Other brands may follow suit. The rate of Amul Taaza has been increased from Rs 42 to Rs 44 a litre, and Amul Gold from Rs 52 to Rs 54. P 3


said R S Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMFF), which owns the brand.

Sodhi said this was the first increase in two years. "Our last rise was in March 2017. Since then, the milk farmers' cost of production has gone up, therefore procurement prices have risen as well," he said.

The actual market price will be higher than Rs44-54 though, given that retailers force customers to pay Rs2-4 more, citing refrigeration and transportation costs. A prolonged crackdown by the department of legal metrology and ministry of food and civil supplies on dealers, urging them to follow the maximum retail price (MRP), came to nought.

Consumers did not fail to notice that the recent increase was announced a day after the general elections concluded. Sodhi did not deny the connection, saying, "We felt the time was right to announce the increase now, so we did it."

Khar housewife Shami Taneja said, "Milk is a commodity no household can do without, so it is surprising the government is unable to enforce the MRP. Even an increase of Rs2 works out to Rs60 a month, which will impact low income households."