Milk prices have increased by around Rs 17 over the past three years, said Mysuru Hotels Association president
“Milk prices have increased by around Rs 17 over the past three years. The latest hike of Rs 8 per litre has dealt another blow to the industry,” Gowda said. Farmers who suffer crop losses due to drought should receive compensation, while sugarcane growers should be given a fair price, he added.
Gowda said protecting farmers’ interests was govt’s responsibility. The hotel industry is not merely a food service sector but also a major source of employment for lakhs of people and a market for agricultural produce, he said. “How can the hotel industry survive if the prices of every essential commodity continue to rise?” he asked.
Speaking to reporters, association president C Narayana Gowda questioned the repeated burden of price increases on the hotel industry, which provides employment opportunities to people irrespective of caste, religion or educational qualifications. Instead of sharply increasing milk prices in the name of supporting farmers, govt should provide direct subsidies or financial help to them. Members of the BJP Women’s Morcha staged a protest in front of the MyMUL office in Siddarthanagar against the steep increase in milk and dairy product prices. The protest was led by rural district unit president Nalini Gowda, city unit general secretary Rashmi and Chamundeshwari mandal general secretary Rakesh Bhat. The protesters urged state govt to withdraw the price hike and support farmers through alternative measures.