Milk producers have been protesting demanding an incentive of Rs 7 for the milk procured by Aavin. “Till 2021, when the DMK came to power, 46 lakh litres of milk was procured per day. But at present, only 36 lakh litres of milk is being procured, he alleged.

Aavin, a public sector undertaking of the Government of Tamil Nadu, is procuring milk at a low cost, which has adversely affected the milk producers. Private dairies are procuring around 2.57 crore litres of milk at a time when aavin is procuring so little.

Aavin pays Rs 32 per litre of cow’s milk and Rs 42 for buffalo milk. But the private companies pay Rs 42-45 for cow’s milk and Rs 65 for buffalo milk. So milk producers are moving towards private companies. To reverse this situation, the services of stalled manufacturers will continue only if the government announces an incentive of Rs 7.

Minister S.M. Nasser held discussions with the milk producers’ association in Chennai yesterday on the shortage of Aavin milk. The milk producers’ association is on strike today as the talks have failed. The association said that they will not be supplying milk to Aavin from tomorrow and hence the procurement of about 5 lakh litres of milk will be hampered.

Aavin Milk Corporation operates in three tiers namely Primary Milk Cooperative Societies, District Milk Producers’ Cooperative Societies and finally, Federation. The primary milk cooperative societies procure milk from the villages. There are about 9,376 Primary Milk Cooperative Societies across Tamil Nadu.

Such a large number is not in the hands of the private sector. But despite this, the office bearers of the association have alleged that it is not acceptable to procure milk in small quantities and at a lower price.

For 10 years from 2011 to 2021 during jayalalithaa’s tenure, the required quantity of milk was procured per day and sold to the people of Tamil Nadu without any hindrance.

The private dairies were unable to compete with Aavin and sell quality at a lower price.

Across Tamil Nadu, 99 per cent of the population, especially in the capital city of Chennai, depend on Aavin milk. But now only 20 to 25 lakh litres of milk is procured and sold, causing an acute shortage of Aavin milk across Tamil Nadu, especially in Chennai.

Milk producers have urged the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate steps to improve the supply of Aavin milk across the state without any shortage.