The District Dairy Association has raised milk prices by 9 to 14 percent to ease the pressure on milk farmers facing high cost of production.

With the hike, cow’s milk in the market will cost Rs70 per litre, while buffalo’s milk will cost Rs80 per litre. The new rates were enforced on May 15.

The association said that the increase in rates will benefit farmers incurring high cost of production. Farmers had been receiving Rs32-Rs42 per litre before the new rates. “Now, they will get Rs48 per litre,” said Tika Ram Kharel, president of the association.

The decision to hike the prices of milk was jointly taken by a meeting between farmers and dairy producers.

On Thursday, the District Livestock Services Office held an interaction where the concerned stakeholders agreed to provide the higher rate to farmers. “Now, farmers will get an additional Rs6 on a litre of milk,” said Pradip Sharma, chief of the office. Due to the involvement of middlemen, farmers were deprived of their fair share of profit on their product.

Sukdev Rijal, a local farmer of Madanpokhari, expressed his happiness over the decision. Milk is supplied to Tansen market from Dumre, Mahyam, Rupse, Baughapokhara Thok, Somadi and Chahara. “Milk prices have been hiked after farmers requested the dairy producers,” said another farmer Krishna Bhattarai. “Dairy producers will raise the rate from the consumer and offer it to the farmers.”

However, consumer rights activists have criticised the hike. “The milk prices have been revised unilaterally without informing the consumer rights body,” said Madhav Nepal, president of District Consumer Forum. “We are not against the decision, but it should have been done after holding discussion with all stakeholder concerned.”