Team Herald
PONDA: Upset that the Rs four per litre hike in the prices of Goa Dairy milk is likely to send their monthly budgets for a toss, consumers have called for a rollback on the hike, or at least a reduction in the new price.
Sources in Goa Dairy, which announced its hike effective from Saturday, said that the cooperative had no choice but to increase its prices due to the soaring costs of production and cattle feed.
Consumers of the brand complained that they were already grappling with the rising costs of other kitchen staples like cooking oil and pulses, and this was the last straw.
According to Ponda resident Nayan Naik, all other private milk brands had already hiked their prices a few months ago and Goa Dairy was providing much-needed relief. “However, with Goa Dairy now hiking milk prices by a whopping Rs four, there is hardly any difference between the prices of other brands of milk,” said Naik.
Housewife Jayshree Vastha from Adpoi called the cost of milk ‘exorbitant’. “We require milk to feed our children and keep them healthy, we cannot be expected to shell out these new rates as milk is an essential commodity. The government should help Goa Dairy so they can rollback this price hike,” she said.
Former Goa Dairy Administrator Durgesh Shirodkar said the dairy is presently run by the Goa Dairy Board and that the Chairman should clarify whether it is making profits or facing losses. It may be recalled that the administration of Goa Dairy was looked after by an administrator for almost three and half years, after the RCS had dissolved the Goa Dairy Board. The last time the price of milk was hiked was eight months ago, in May 2022, by the Administrator. Thereafter,elections were held and new the new Goa Dairy Board took charge of the dairy from July 2022.The Goa Dairy Chairman remained unavailable for comment.
The rates of standardised milk has been hiked from Rs 54 to Rs 58. Toned milk price has been hiked from Rs 48 to Rs 51. The price of cow milk has gone from Rs 50 to Rs 54 while the price of high-fat full cream milk has been hiked from Rs 62 to Rs 67 per litre.