‘Aam Aadmi’ to bear the brunt yet again!;Prices of dairy products may go up, consumers’ coffers to go dry

 Special Correspondent
JAMMU: The consumers’ coffers may go dry as the Jammu and Kashmir Government is all set to increase the prices of dairy products in the coming days, sources here said.
According to well placed sources, a section of community, supplying milk products across the State, is likely to be benefitted by the PDP-BJP Government’s move of hiking the rates of dairy products soon thus adding woes to the pocket of ‘aam admi’.
“Government is soon going to issue revised rate list of the milk products”, a leading businessman of the City, dealing with the sale/purchase of dairy products here said.
He said that 20 to 25 per cent of the rates will be increased, which will directly affect the pockets of the consumers, adding, “For the past four years, no rates were revised but instead of increasing the rates in gradual manner, big jump may affect the business.”
“The concerned authorities were many times approached to give due consideration in revising the rates but the process lingered on and ultimately, it is after a gap of four years, the government woke up from the slumber,” he said.
He however, rued the decision of the government to raise rates of milk products by 20 per cent to 25 per cent in one go, which will not only add burden to consumers’ pockets but simultaneously hamper the business.
He said that if the government goes ahead with the decision, milk products including milk, cheese (Paneer) and curd (Dahi) will be costly affair for the consumers.
“The milk (cow, buffalo), which at present is being sold @ Rs 35, Rs 37 per-litre depending on its quality, will see increase of Rs 9 to Rs 10 per-litre,” he added.
The seller said that the cheese, which is presently being sold @ Rs 240 to Rs 250 per kg will go upto Rs 300 per-kg, adding that Rs 10 per-kg will also be added to curd price in case the rates are revised with a hike.
Meanwhile, official sources said that the decision regarding increasing the rates of milk products was taken recently in a meeting convened by the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA).
They said that the existing rate of buffalo milk (with 5 per cent fat and 9 per cent Solid-Non-Fat (SNF) is likely to be increased from Rs 37 per litre to Rs 46 per litre and similarly cow milk (3.5 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent SNF) from Rs 35 to Rs 45 per litre.
“The price of all other milk-products including sweet-meets etc will cost 25 percent more than the existing rates,” they added.
“We have resented the proposed upward revision of the milk and other dairy products prices by an unauthorized body without any justification and assuring the consumers of the standard, quality of most essential commodity of daily consumption,” rued a shopkeeper, owning a sweets shop.
He further added that no pre-notification or anything in ‘black and white’ has been issued to the sellers and added, “the government should at least study and go through the rate lists issued by the neighbouring states so that the consumers as well as the traders, do not suffer due to the decision taken in a hurry only to appease a particular section.”