New Delhi: Expressing solidarity, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) has extended its support to the 'Milk Bandh' Movement of the milk producers and dairy farmers of Maharashtra which is being led by former MP Raju Shetty, who is the founder president of Swabhimani Shetkari Organization.
AIKSCC has demanded the Central government to immediately ban the import of milk powder which is depressing the domestic price of milk and encourage milk exports by giving an incentive of Rs 30 per litre to dairy farmers.
AIKSCC also demanded to abolish GST on milk products to encourage their consumption and sale as well as the purchase of milk powder at a supported price to create a buffer stock of 30,000 metric tonnes.
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AIKSCC has urged the Maharashtra government to accept Rs. 5 per litre price support demand of milk producer farmers. AIKSCC said that the rate of milk being less than a bottle of water is an insult to farmers. The committee mentioned that after the previous milk price protest led by Raju Shetty, the then Maharashtra government had promised to give Rs 5 per litre to the farmers as support but instead during the COVID lockdown period when the farmers are facing immense hardship, the rate of milk has collapsed from Rs. 35 to Rs.17 per litre.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, AIKSCC national convener VM Singh said that the Centre has reduced import duty on milk powder from 60 per cent to 15 per cent, and has also approved the import of another 10,000 tonnes of milk powder. Even the rate of milk powder has fallen from Rs 320 per kilo to Rs 160 per kilo. This comes even as stock of 1.5 lakh tonnes already exists in India, he said, adding that the issue was not just of Maharashtra, but all of India.
Meanwhile, as many as 250 farmer organisations have warned the state government and Centre that if the demands of the dairy farmers of Maharashtra are not met, they would join the nation-wide protest called on August 9.
Singh further said that while the government is making slogans about atmanirbharta (self-reliance) on one hand, it is making policies which are forcing many farmers to quit the dairy business.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Choudhary Pushpendra Singh, the President of the Kisan Kheti Sangh, said that some dairy operators have been buying milk at cheaper prices in the name of coronavirus, but selling them at higher rates to consumers. He said that it was the government's responsibility to ensure that dairy farmers get the correct amount.
He suggested that the government set a minimum support price for milk and dairy products as well.
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