Milk prices in Maharashtra are set to rise by ₹4 per litre for both cow and buffalo milk from November 16, after the Maharashtra Milk Producers and Traders Welfare Association approved the increase at a meeting in Pune on Friday.
The association said the revised selling rates were necessary because of rising costs across the dairy supply chain, including fuel, transportation, packaging, labour and the price paid to milk producers. The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Pune District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited, popularly known as Katraj Dairy.
The increase will apply to the selling prices of cow and buffalo milk. The association also decided to raise the prices of dairy products by up to 10 per cent, although the report did not specify the revised prices for individual products.
The meeting was chaired by association president Gopalrao Mhaske. Representatives of major cooperative and private dairy unions from across Maharashtra attended the discussion. Around 50 representatives were present, according to the report.
The association linked the proposed price revision to higher diesel and transportation costs, increased prices of sugar and packaging materials, and rising expenditure on staff. It also cited an increase in the procurement price paid to milk producers as a factor adding to the financial burden on processors and sellers.
The association said it had also considered the possibility of a further increase in milk procurement prices in the coming period before deciding to raise selling prices. The decision therefore reflects pressure at multiple stages of the dairy chain, from procurement and transport to processing and retail distribution.
For households, the immediate impact will depend on how individual dairy unions, processors and retailers implement the decision from November 16. The report establishes the association’s decision but does not provide a uniform statewide price chart or clarify whether every milk brand will revise prices by the same amount.
Milk is a daily household essential, which means even a relatively small per-litre increase can affect recurring food expenditure, particularly for families purchasing larger quantities. The separate increase of up to 10 per cent on dairy products may also affect the cost of items such as processed milk products, though product-wise details were not provided.
The decision places the focus on the cost structure of Maharashtra’s dairy economy. Fuel and transport expenses affect the movement of milk from producers to processing units and then to urban markets, while packaging and labour costs influence the final retail price. Any increase in procurement rates can further raise the cost base for processors.
The revised milk rates are scheduled to take effect on Monday, November 16. The association’s member organisations and dairy sellers are expected to communicate the applicable prices for different products and pack sizes before implementation.
