The Kuppam Assembly constituency, represented by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, heavily relies on dairy farming as a source of income for rural and semi-urban households.
The dairy industry has seen a ₹5 per liter decrease in milk prices, raising concerns among female farmers in this sector. The sudden price drop has sparked unrest among these female farmers, who have yet to receive an official explanation for this unexpected development. The entire dairy sector is run by private companies without direct government supervision, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the price drop.
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Over the years, many female farmers have entered the region’s thriving cottage industry of dairy farming, obtaining loans from banks and private individuals to assist their ventures. The Kuppam, Gudupalle, Shantipuram, and Ramakuppam mandals of the constituency produce approximately 7 lakh litres of milk per day.
During a recent visit to Kuppam, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the dairy sector by increasing milk output to 10 lakh litres daily. Furthermore, he promised to provide “three milch cows” to each family in Kuppam through a benefit scheme, up from the previous two cows per family initiative prior to the State’s bifurcation.
The unexpected drop in milk prices has alarmed women farmers, despite their hopes for the return of the Chandrababu Naidu government and its promised assistance.
Saraswathi (45), a dairy farmer in Gudupalle mandal, had planned to increase her herd following Mr. Naidu’s subsidy promise. However, the drop in milk prices has left many farmers discouraged. The milk companies attribute the situation to increased milk production in the Kuppam constituency, which contradicts Mr. Naidu’s promise to increase milk yield to 10 lakh litres per day.
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The price of one liter of milk was ₹40 last year but has since decreased to ₹30 in June, causing distress among female farmers.Many farmers have reported that milk companies refuse to buy more stock, exacerbating the situation. To break the stalemate, some farmers attempted to sell their surplus stocks in Bengaluru and surrounding areas with the assistance of their male colleagues. However, transportation costs and competition from rural Bengaluru farmers prevented these efforts from yielding positive results.
A dairy unit manager in Shantipuram mandal reported that milk production increased significantly during the election period. However, milk powder exports fell simultaneously, resulting in a surplus of milk powder stocks and a subsequent decrease in farmer collection. Overall, women farmers remain optimistic that remunerative milk prices will be restored if milk powder exports resume.
