Milk farmers have strongly condemned the registration of FIR against Bargarh dairy farmers by the Omfed authorities for spilling milk on the road at Gandhi Chowk in Bargarh Town on Thursday.
Odisha Milk Farmers’ Association (OMFA) president Rabi Bahera said this act reveals the anti-famer policy of the Omfed and the State Government.
In a letter to Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy, Behera said, “The Omfed authorities had on March 31 written a letter to milk cooperative societies to reduce milk procurement by 31 per cent. This has caused distress sale of milk, and if the trend continues, it will create a big problem in the days to come.”
Reeling under various problems, the farmers in rural areas adopt an alternative source of income by producing milk. But such direction by the Omfed has pushed the farmers to the edge. The aggrieved farmers took to the streets and spilled milk on the road as a mark of protest. However, the Government and the Omfed instead of solving the problem of distress sale have lodged an FIR against the farmer leaders. This is undemocratic, said Behera.
The OMFA chief sought intervention of the Agriculture Minister for withdrawal of the case.
“We also demand that the State Government direct the Omfed to purchase all milk produced by farmers and fix a minimum price of milk at Rs30 per litre,” said association secretary Narayan Dalua.