Expressing disappointment over the “meagre increase” in the procurement price of milk announced by Chief Minister C. Joseph Viay, the Tamil Nadu Milk Producers’ Welfare Association on Thursday announced that its members would stop supply to the cooperative milk societies from August 24 unless the government revised the price to ₹44 a litre.Association president R. Rajendran told presspersons here on Thursday that the procurement price of milk was not revised in the State after 2022 when the price was hiked by ₹3 a litre. In December 2023, the then government sanctioned an incentive ₹3 a litre. Since then, cost of cattle feed and other inputs had increased sharply and the price offered by Aavin did not cover the increased production cost. Private milk dairies were offering a better price than Aavin.The TVK, in its election manifesto, promised to increase the milk procurement price to ₹44 a litre. “We demand that the government implement the promise now,” Mr. Rajendran said.Mr. Rajendran said the reduction of the retail price by ₹3 a litre by DMK president M.K. Stalin on assuming charge as Chief Minister in 2021 had badly affected the revenue of milk cooperative societies, district unions, and the State federation and affected their viability. “To overcome this, we had been suggesting an increase in the retail price,” he said.The latest increase had been announced without taking into account all the issues involved. The Chief Minister had said the price would be increase from ₹35 to ₹36 and the incentive from ₹3 to ₹5 a litre. “We have been demanding an increase of ₹10 per litre in the procurement price (besides the incentive) for cow’s milk but the Chief Minister had increased it by just Re.1 a litre. Dairy farmers were hugely disappointed by the announcement. When private dairies offered up to ₹48 a litre, why should we supply for ₹36 a litre? The Chief Minister should reconsider the decision by August 23, failing which we will stop supplying to the societies from the next day,” Mr.Rajendran said. Published - August 20, 2026 05:55 pm IST