Karnataka's Nandini milk prices are set for another revision, with the state government giving an in-principle nod to increase the retail rate by ₹4 to ₹5 per litre. According to reports from Goodreturns, if the proposal is formally cleared, regular Nandini milk could become costlier from around ₹46 to ₹50-51 per litre, adding to the monthly milk bill of households across the state. The government is considering a ₹4-5 per litre increase, which is lower than the ₹8-10 per litre sought by milk unions, as reported by multiple sources.
The proposed hike would translate into significant monthly expenses for consumers. As reported by Goodreturns, for a household buying one litre of milk every day, a ₹5 per litre increase would translate into an additional monthly expense of around ₹150. Families consuming two litres a day would see their monthly milk expenditure rise by roughly ₹300. The government is considering a 70:30 ratio sharing between milk producers and cooperative unions for the additional amount, though nothing has been finalised yet.
The proposed revision follows sustained demands from milk producers' cooperative unions and dairy farmers, who have been seeking better returns amid rising costs. According to reports from Goodreturns, the unions had reportedly sought a larger increase of ₹8 to ₹10 per litre, arguing that the cost of dairy farming has risen significantly. Expenses on cattle feed, fodder, transportation, medicines and maintenance have put pressure on farmers' margins. Drought conditions in parts of Karnataka have added to the pressure, particularly where arranging adequate fodder has become difficult.
The milk price increase found strong political support across party lines. Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy backed the proposal, stating "We all support the milk price hike. You are in the government and you do it". BJP MLC Hanumant Nirani also supported the demand, saying there was broad support for increasing milk prices. Congress MLC S Ravi compared Nandini with milk brands from other states, claiming milk unions were losing around ₹7 for every litre of milk and calling for an increase of ₹12 to ₹15 per litre. The issue came up during a discussion on drought in the Karnataka Legislative Council, with Ravi pointing to farmers selling cattle worth ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh for just ₹25,000.
