Omfed milk to be costlier by Rs 2

Bhubaneswar: The state owned Odisha State Co-operative Milk Producers' Federation Limited (OMFED) has decided to raise milk prices by Rs 2 per litre from December 21.

Consumers would have to pay Rs 34 a litre of toned milk, which was priced at Rs 32 per litre. The last time OMFED raised prices of milk was in August. Double toned milk would now be priced at Rs 32 per litre.

"The hike will directly benefit milk producers in the state," said OMFED chairman-cum-managing director Bishnupada Sethi.

OMFED, sources said, was forced to raise the price as producers were unwilling to supply milk at the prevailing prices because of mounting input cost, cattle feed and transportation charges.

Basant Kumar Mishra, General Manager OMFED said consumers would have to pay the revised prices of milk instead of the printed rate till the old polythene packets were exhausted.

OMFED has been procuring about 4.5 lakh litres of milk per day to produce about five lakh litres of milk and milk products with the help of nearly 3,600 milk cooperative societies spread across the state.

Increase in cost of electricity, pasteurization and labour rates in the past few months have prompted the government to pass the extra burden on to the consumers, OMFED sourcers added.