Milma mulls ₹4 per litre milk price hike; regional unions divided on proposal

Thiruvananthapuram: In a huge upset to the households, the board of directors of Milma is set to consider a proposal to hike milk prices in the state by ₹3 to ₹4 per litre.

Milma chairman K S Mani said that a meeting to discuss the proposed price revision will be held on Tuesday at the Milma Head Office in Pattom. Chairpersons and managing directors of the three regional unions are expected to attend. Any revision in milk prices is usually implemented only with the approval of the state government, Mani added.

Meanwhile, the three regional unions of Milma have expressed differing views on the proposal. While the Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam regional unions have supported a price hike, the Malabar Union is reportedly opposed to the move, arguing that there is no immediate need for a revision. Notably, the Ernakulam Union has demanded a steeper increase of up to ₹10 per litre.

The Thiruvananthapuram union has sought a price hike proportional to the increased cost of milk production, but has not specified the exact amount.

Milma had last revised milk prices in December 2022, raising the rate by ₹6 per litre. This followed a previous hike of ₹4 per litre in September 2019. Currently, the price of toned milk sold by Milma stands at ₹52 per litre. The agency distributes around 17 lakh litres of milk daily across Kerala.

If the hike is approved, the prices of all milk-based products manufactured by Milma are also expected to go up proportionally. Private dairy companies are also likely to follow suit with price revisions. Milk prices in Kerala remain among the highest in the country when compared to other states.