A group of dairy farmers on Monday demanded immediate clarity from Goa Dairy and the state government regarding the implementation of a promised increase in milk procurement prices, claiming that two months have passed since the announcement without any official update.
The farmers said they had served a notice four days in advance before visiting the Goa Dairy Managing Director (MD) at around 11 am to seek answers on the status of the revised rates. According to them, the state government had assured an increase of Rs 1 per litre for cow milk and Rs 2 per litre for buffalo milk through Goa Dairy.
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However, despite the assurance, farmers claimed that neither Goa Dairy officials nor members of the administration were able to provide a clear timeline for the implementation of the revised rates.
Speaking to reporters, the farmers expressed disappointment over the lack of information from the authorities. They alleged that even senior officials and committee members appeared unaware of the current status of the proposal.
The farmers pointed out that Goa Dairy had already revised its own rates, but the benefit had not yet been passed on to milk producers. They urged the management to provide a definite date from which the revised procurement prices would come into effect.
The delegation said the assurance was made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and was recorded in the minutes of an earlier meeting. While maintaining faith that the government would honour its commitment, they stressed the need for an official and authenticated communication regarding the implementation schedule.
Around 50 dairy farmers reportedly gathered to raise the issue despite it being a busy period for milk collection and farm operations. They described Goa Dairy as an institution built by and for farmers and called for greater transparency in its functioning.
The farmers said their demand was straightforward: a concrete timeline for the implementation of the promised milk price hike. They added that if further delays were unavoidable, the authorities should clearly communicate the reasons and specify when the revised rates would be introduced.
