Chandigarh: With milk products worth about Rs 225 crore lying with Milkfed, it has requested Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to ask the Centre to allow it to export certain milk products, it is learnt. During the past few months, Milkfed prepared 6,000 tonnes of dry milk powder of which about 2,000 tonnes is surplus. “I have told the CM that milk plants in the state will suffer losses if denied the export of dry milk powder”, said Parminder Singh Chalaki, chairman of the Mohali milk plant.

New Delhi: It’s a problem of plenty for dairy companies. Left with excess inventory of skimmed milk powder owing to the good monsoon in the last two years, dairy majors say growth will be hit this year, with most of them expecting lower profit margins compared to last year. India, which is the largest producer of milk in the world, currently has an excess of nearly 1.5 lakh tonnes of skimmed milk powder. Companies demand lifting of ban on exports of skimmed milk powder (SMP), which the government had imposed last year to tackle supply shortage.

Daily milk production in the state is seeing a surplus by 28 lakh litre, with drastic rise in contributions from the drought-hit talukas like Jat and Mann leading to a massive production of milk powder. Of the 1.13 crore lakh litres of milk being produced a day, 28 lakh litre is surplus.

New Delhi With no political consensus as yet to allow the foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, India needs to undertake structural reforms urgently to curb food inflation that surged to a 15-month high of 10.49% in April on dearer vegetables and protein-based products.

Economists said these reforms should focus on four fundamental aspects: raising productivity, curbing wastages, better distribution and delivery system, and ensuring fair returns to producers to keep them engaged in the farm sector.

Chandigarh: Like record wheat harvest, the production of milk, too, is unusually high this year. But that hasn’t brought smiles on the faces of dairy farmers who are reeling under the ban imposed on the export of skimmed milk powder. As a result, most private players in the industry are not ready to buy milk from dairy farmers. This, in turn, has burdened Milkfed, Punjab’s dairy cooperative, which can’t say no to milk procurement. The Milkfed and two other big companies have been forced to buy excess milk.

Mumbai: The BMC has floated a Rs 121 crore proposal to buy flavoured milk for civic schools. To prevent any delays, the BMC plans to buy the milk directly from dairies rather than going through dealers in the market. The proposal is likely to be placed before the standing committee, which is scheduled to meet early this week.

Expressing grave concern over the reports about manufacturing of “synthetic” milk emanating from various parts of the states close to the national capital, where supply of such milk could not be ruled out, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Centre and six states seeking reports on the issue.

A bench of Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapaidia and Justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar issued the notices to the Centre and states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand asking them to file affidavits specifying action taken by them to check the supply of spurious milk and milk products within four weeks.

JAIPUR: The state government on Tuesday filed a detailed compliance report before a division bench of Rajasthan high court elaborating on the action taken against suppliers of adulterated milk in various parts of the state.

The court will give its final verdict on May 21. A division bench of high court, while hearing a suo moto PIL in March, had asked additional advocate general S N Kumawat to file the action report on the campaign against adulterated milk in Rajasthan.

The Supreme Court Wednesday issued notice to the central and five state governments on a petition seeking complete curb on the sale and supply of synthetic and adulterated milk and its products like ghee, khoya and paneer. An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia issued notice on a petition by Swamy Achuthananda Tirth seeking direction to the centre and state governments to ensure the supply of healthy, hygienic and natural milk and milk products.

New Delhi: It’s the most common drink in the country after water. So what added benefits can a ‘national drink’ status bring to tea, especially since it is unlikely to be accompanied with special incentives or tax breaks? Plenty, say tea industry insiders and experts, claiming there is much more at stake than just prestige.