Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has asked the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to reconsider its Rs 14 per litre curd price increase after consumers and hoteliers objected to the higher cost, while ruling out any revision to the recent milk price hike.
Curd prices increased from Rs 54 to Rs 68 a litre after the government raised milk prices by Rs 8. The price of a 500 ml packet has consequently risen from Rs 28 to Rs 34, adding to the cost of a commonly purchased household food item and an input used by hotels and other food businesses.
“I have asked KMF to reconsider as it is becoming too expensive for the public. They will look into it,” Shivakumar said on Monday, according to the Times of India. His statement indicates that the federation will now examine whether the curd price increase should be revised, although no rollback or revised rate had been announced in the report.
The chief minister defended the milk price increase, saying higher fuel costs had affected dairy farmers through a cascading rise in expenses. “The hike in fuel prices has had a cascading effect on dairy farmers,” he said, while acknowledging public anger over the decision.
Shivakumar said the government had discussed the milk price increase in detail before arriving at the decision. He also compared the public response with increases in the price of mineral water bottles following the Centre’s GST decision, arguing that consumers had not raised similar objections in that case.
The differing positions on milk and curd leave KMF facing two separate pricing pressures. The government has maintained that the milk price increase should remain in place, while the chief minister has asked the federation to review the curd increase because of its effect on consumers. KMF is responsible for marketing dairy products under the state’s cooperative dairy system.
The issue also comes as Karnataka’s public transport corporations consider possible bus fare increases. Shivakumar said the government was providing special grants to operate state buses, but added that the financial situation was difficult and that transport corporations had been allowed to decide on pricing.
The developments place essential household consumption and public-service costs in the same policy conversation. For residents, the immediate confirmed change is the higher milk and curd price, while any change to the curd rate will depend on KMF’s review. No decision on a rollback was specified in the statement reported by the Times of India.
