No Milk Supply In Maharashtra As Farmers' Unions Go On Strike

On Monday morning, Mumbaikars woke up to the news that their daily milk supply would be cut off. And now, the rest of Maharashtra has been hit as well, as dairy farmers’ unions go on an indefinite strike demanding better subsidies and compensation. Farmers have taken to the streets,  stopping the movement of milk tankers within the state and from neighbouring states.

Led by MP Raju Shetti’s Swabhimaani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), farmers are protesting the drop in prices and are demanding a higher rate for the milk dairies buy from them. The dairy industry in Maharashtra procures over 100 litres of milk a day, and, since November 2017, these prices have plummeted by almost 10 rupees. Dairies cite overproduction as the reason for the price drop – but farmers aren’t convinced.

 “We are launching a Satyagraha from July 16th. Our dairy farmers will not supply milk to dairies. So milk will not be supplied to villages or cities. If anyone wants milk, they can come to the village and buy it directly from farmers."

MP Raju Shetti, Swabhimaani Shetkari Sanghatana  

 

Milk Strike, Image Credit - Varsha Torgalkar, The Wire

The state said it would provide a subsidy to dairies for the export of milk powder – but Shetti claims there is no real demand for it. This lack of transparency is what has irked farmers. In a report published by The Wire, a union leader in Pune highlights how exactly the farmers are making losses: 

"Out of the total milk collected, around 60% of the milk is used to produce milk powder and the remaining 40% is sold as milk in the market. International rates of milk powder and butter decreased due to oversupply 8-9 months ago. That led dairies to cut down or stop the export of both milk powder and butter. As they were not earning a profit, the dairies cut down procurement rates to Rs 17-18. However, farmers have to spend Rs 20-25 per litre. Thus farmers are running into losses.”  

Vishnu Hingane, Chairman, Katrak MIlk Co-operative Dairy, Pune

A Typical Dairy Farm in India

Place Your Bets On Plant-Based Milk

With the farmers’ agitation gaining steam, Mumbaikars (and everyone else in Maharashtra!) must come face to face with no milk in their morning chai. 

But we’re here to tell you that it’s not such a bad thing because this gives everyone a chance to experiment with dairy alternatives – which we at VeganFirst feel should be the norm, not a contingency plan!

• Plant-based milks like soy and nut milk are excellent dairy substitutes, and work just as well (if not better!) in your morning cuppa.  
• Plant milk doesn't spoil as quickly as dairy.
• Choose from soy, almond, cashew, rice, coconut, oat and more.  

But you don’t have to wait for your dairy supply to grind to a halt to switch to plant-based milk. Choosing plant milk benefits you, our farmers and the environment! You can easily make a batch at home and store it in the fridge for use through the week – here’s how!    

Like this?

Read: Healthy Bones - The Non-Dairy Way

Read more: Nutrient Rich Home-Made Soya Milk