90 milk cooperatives stop supply to dairy federation

More than 90 milk cooperatives out of the total 195 in the district have refused to supply milk to the district dairy federation.
Sources said an incentive of Rs 4 per kg given to milk cooperatives had not been released since July.
They said over 2,250 milk cooperatives were disappointed with the federation as the subsidy on fodder had also been stopped.
“The daily milk collection nearly eight months ago was over 7,000 liters per day, which has now reduced to 5,000 liters per day,” said Deepak Kapri from Kanalichina block of the district.
As per sources, the milk cooperatives have now started selling milk in the open market as they are getting better price.
“The quality of milk purchased by the federation at Rs 20.47 per kg is being sold at Rs 34 per kg in the open market,” said a milk producer.
According to milk cooperatives, the federation owes them Rs 38.95 lakh on account of several incentives and subsidies.
“We are purchasing fodder for our cattle from open market which is making the production of milk costlier,” said Kapri.
The district milk federation management said they had received incentive amount from the state government and it would be distributed among the federation members in a week’s time.
“As far as the question of subsidy on fodder is concerned, we have received only Rs 17 lakh from the district plan and it was distributed among the cooperatives. Thereafter we could not give fodder subsidy to farmers,” said PS Nagpal, manager of the district dairy federation.