Amid sharp criticism, the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (HP Milkfed) has defended its decision to impose a maximum procurement limit of 20 litres of milk per dairy producer per day.
Objective to Benefit More Farmers
An official spokesperson for HP Milkfed stated that the purpose of this arrangement is to bring more new dairy farmers into the cooperative framework and create additional opportunities for increasing the income of rural households. The decision is expected to ensure that a larger number of farmers sell their milk produce at an increased Minimum Support Price (MSP), increase the registration of new dairy producers in the cooperative sector, and improve the income and economic condition of families engaged in dairy farming.
Extending MSP Benefits
The spokesperson emphasized that the decision was taken in the interest of dairy farmers across the state and with the objective of extending the benefits of the MSP to a larger number of rural families. The primary objective of the MSP initiative is to ensure that its benefits are not limited to a small number of producers but reach a wider section of dairy farmers, particularly small and marginal ones.
HP Milkfed's move aims to prevent large-scale producers from dominating the procurement system, thereby allowing smaller farmers to gain access to the cooperative network and receive fair prices for their milk.
