Bengaluru
oi-Madhuri Adnal
A litre of Nandini milk could cost more in Karnataka soon, but consumers will have to wait for an official decision before knowing exactly how much the price will rise.
The Karnataka government is considering an increase of around Rs 4 to Rs 5 per litre after milk producers and cooperative unions repeatedly sought higher prices, citing the rising cost of keeping cattle and producing milk.
Facing rising production costs, the Karnataka government is considering a ₹4-5 per litre increase for Nandini milk, while milk unions had sought ₹8-10; the final decision is pending an official government order.
The demand from the state’s 16 milk unions was much higher. They had sought an increase of Rs 8 to Rs 10 per litre, pointing to the growing cost of cattle feed, fodder, medicines and other expenses.
The government is understood to be considering a smaller increase. A proposal under discussion could see the additional amount shared between milk producers and cooperative unions in a 70:30 ratio.
But for now, nothing has been finalised. Nandini milk will continue to be sold at the existing price until the government issues an official order announcing the revised rate and its effective date.
Why Are Nandini Milk Prices Being Increased?
For dairy farmers, the problem is not simply the price at which they sell milk. The cost of keeping cattle has been steadily eating into their earnings.
Farmers are dealing with higher expenses on fodder, cattle feed, medicines and maintenance. Drought conditions in parts of Karnataka have added to the pressure, particularly where arranging adequate fodder has become difficult.
Milk unions say the current procurement price does not adequately cover these rising costs.
Representatives of the unions recently met Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and submitted a memorandum seeking a revision.
The Chief Minister sought detailed information before taking a decision, including data on cattle feed costs, milk procurement and processing expenses, sales and the quantity of milk solids used in Nandini products.
The government has also sought comparisons with milk prices and production costs in other states.
The issue came up during a discussion on drought in the Karnataka Legislative Council on Thursday.
Congress MLC S Ravi spoke about the difficulties faced by farmers who depend on dairy farming and said the situation had become severe enough for some farmers to sell their cattle.
“If you visit the markets in Bengaluru south (Ramanagara) district, you will see farmers selling cattle worth Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh for just Rs 25,000,” Ravi said.
He also pointed to protests by dairy farmers in different districts and said their demand for better milk prices needed to be addressed.
His argument was that farmers cannot be expected to continue dairy farming when the cost of maintaining cattle keeps rising while their earnings remain under pressure.
‘Nandini Is Cheaper Than Other Brands’
Ravi also compared Nandini with milk brands from other states available in Karnataka.
He said Nandini remained cheaper and claimed that milk unions were losing around Rs 7 for every litre of milk.
He called for an increase of Rs 12 to Rs 15 per litre and said the issue should not become a political dispute.
“Let the credit go even to the Opposition. There is no need to get approval from the government to increase milk price,” Ravi said.
He argued that KMF could communicate the price revision itself, although seeking government approval had become the established practice.
Opposition Backs Milk Price Increase
The demand found support from Opposition members as well.
Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy backed the proposal and urged the government to go ahead with a price revision.
“We all support the milk price hike. You are in the government and you do it,” he said.
BJP MLC Hanumant Nirani also supported the demand, saying there was broad support for increasing milk prices.
The political support for a hike, however, does not mean consumers will immediately see a change in the price.
What Happens To Nandini Milk Prices Now?
The government is considering a Rs 4 to Rs 5 per litre increase, which is lower than the Rs 8 to Rs 10 sought by the milk unions and the larger increase demanded by some legislators.
The final decision will determine how much more consumers pay and how much of the additional amount reaches dairy farmers.
For now, the existing Nandini prices remain unchanged.
The next key step will be the government’s formal decision and notification. Until that happens, reports of a price increase should not be treated as a final revision.
For dairy farmers, the demand is about recovering rising production costs. For households, even a few rupees more per litre will add to the monthly grocery bill. The government therefore faces the task of balancing the two sides before announcing the final price.
