Dairy farmers in Punjab are demanding a hike in milk procurement price. Their union PDFA has held out a threat that its members would stop supplying milk to Milkfed if its demand is not met.
According to PDFA president Daljeet Singh Gill, they would soon be meeting to decide about the date of their agitation.
Knowledgeable sources say as Milkfed is not in a mood to have a confrontation with dairy farmers indications are it would accept their demand.
Sources add the dairy sector is in a bad way for a variety of reasons. The cost of cattle feed rising high suddenly has made the whole dairy business unattractive. This explains why farmers are demanding Rs. 485 per kg fat as against the present amount of Rs. 405 per kg fat.
Milkfed collects a total of 8 lakh litres of milk per day in Punjab. However, despite several difficulties including a huge spike in the fodder cost dairy farmers are up against,they have yet to benefit from a hike in milk procurement price. It is in this situation that farmers are facing financial problems.