Many of his ministerial colleagues during the Cabinet meeting held on Saturday evening advised him to put it on hold as the opposition parties would make an issue of it during the session, sources said. Earlier the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), chairman G Somashekhara Reddy said the Chief Minister will have a final say on the milk price hike.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the CM at his home office ‘Krishna’ here on Saturday evening, Reddy said: “The CM has assured the delegation from KMF that the price hike issue will be decided by the cabinet, within the next two-three days. Demand from district dairy federations and cooperative milk societies and farmers have been taken seriously. The CM has understood the gravity of the situation, if a hike in milk prices are delayed”
Reddy however was silent on the quantum of hike sought by KMF, but hinted it could be anywhere between Rs 1 and 2 per litre.
Co-ops record profit
Cooperation Minister Lakshman Savadi rubbished allegations by the opposition that milk cooperations in the state were going bankrupt. Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Savadi said that 12 of the 13 milk cooperation had registered profits till December 2009 during the current financial year.
Kolar milk federation was the only unit that had registered a loss he said. Karnataka Milk Federation had registered a profit of Rs 9.86 crore, while Bangalore Dairy had registered Rs 5 crore profit till December end last year.
Profits
* Bangalore: Rs 5 crore
* Mysore: Rs 5 crore
* Mandya: Rs 7.47 crore
* Dharwad: Rs 1.33 crore
* Belgaum: Rs 90 lakh
* Hassan: Rs 3.48 crore
* Tumkur: Rs 2.95 crore
* Shimoga: Rs 1.46 crore
* Gulbarga: Rs 9 lakh
* Bijapur: Rs 74 lakh
* Belgaum: Rs 79 lakh
* Dakshina Kannada: Rs 2.39 crore