August 10, 2011

India's milk price hike unavoidable

Regardless of the verdict delivered by the High Court on milk price hike, the increment in milk prices is inevitable, K.C. Joseph, Minister for Rural Development, said.

Joseph said that if the dairy farmers were not given adequate support at a time when the production cost was going up, many of them would be forced to quit the scene. It was surprising that there were problems only when there was an increase in the prices of milk. One of the main pillars of the agricultural sector in the State was dairy development and the government would consider extending subsidy for cattle feed, he added.

He pointed out that one of the 49 employment areas included in the national employment guarantee scheme was the dairy sector.