The Odisha Milk Farmers’ Association submitted a memorandum to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, suggesting a few measures to stop distress sale of milk and ensure interest-free loan to the milk farmers.
Stating that with the Omfed having curtailed procurement of milk by 31 per cent, the milk farmers have to suffer a loss of `52 lakh per day, the association urged the Union Minister to intervene in the issue and mitigate the plight of the farmers in Odisha.
Notably, Omfed was collecting around 6 lakh litres of milk per day at an average price of `26 per litre. However, it reduced its procurement by 31 per cent there by forcing the farmers to go for distress sale of 2 lakh litres of milk per day.
The association said that the Omfed may be directed to procure all the milk from the farmers and the Government of India should convene a meeting of Agriculture Ministers of all the States to fix up Minimum Support Price (MSP) of milk at `30 per litre.
Besides, it urged the Minister for interest free loans to the dairy, poultry and fish farmers and `200 daily remuneration each for the secretaries of 3,649 Primary Milk Co-operative Societies who are engaged in procurement of milk.