Mahanand milk price cut by Rs 2 per litre

Maharashtra dairy development minister Eknath Khadse today said Mahanand Dairy, a venture of Maharashtra state cooperative milk federation, had agreed to slash the milk prices by Rs 2 per litre.
"Mahanand milk, earlier sold at Rs 40 per litre, will now be sold at Rs 38 per litre," the minister said here.
Khadse also said that government had directed the milk cooperatives to procure milk at not less than Rs 20 per litre -- the governement-prescribed rate -- from milk farmers.
The government also planned to provide milk powder to school children under the mid-day meal scheme once a week to utilise 2,178 metric tonnes of powder stock lying with government dairies, he said.

Officials of the dairy department, food and drug administration and legal metrology will undertake joint action against milk adulteration, the minister said.
The senior cabinet minister who also holds the agriculture portfolio said a meeting will be held here on Wednesday to review the preparedness for kharif season.
"We will ensure that sufficient stock of fertilisers is available. The Central government has said urea prices will remain unchanged for the next four years," Khadse said.