Rampur Bushahr | Bishesher Negi.
Under the banner of the Himachal Pradesh Milk Producers’ Association, dairy farmers from six blocks across Shimla, Kullu, and Mandi districts staged a strong protest outside the Dattanagar Milk Chilling Plant on Tuesday. The farmers alleged that they are neither receiving fair prices for their milk nor timely payments, pushing the rural economy towards distress.
Leading the protest, former MLA and CPI(M) leader Rakesh Singha warned that if the government fails to address these issues promptly, a larger statewide movement will be launched.
Milk Spoils in the Sun, Farmers Suffer Losses
Farmers from Rampur, Nankhari, Kumarsain, and Nirmand blocks accused the Milk fed authorities of gross mismanagement. They claimed that vehicles transporting milk to the Dattanagar plant are left standing in the sun for hours, resulting in milk spoilage and heavy financial loss to producers.
Sunil Kumar, Secretary of the Sholeshwar Milk Producers Cooperative Society, stated,
“It takes nearly four hours to transport milk from our village to the plant. By the time we reach, our vehicles are made to wait in direct sunlight, which spoils the milk. To add insult to injury, Milkfed is deducting 1000ml per litre, causing direct loss to farmers.
Delayed Payments, Lack of Transparency
Jawali Devi, a farmer from Jogni, expressed her anguish, saying,
“We often receive payments two months late, and even then, we are never informed about the exact amount being paid.”
Hemraj, Secretary of the Dofda Milk Cooperative, echoed the concerns, citing long delays and mismanagement at the Dattanagar plant, which continue to deteriorate the condition of small-scale dairy farmers.
Veterinary System in Shambles
Addressing the gathering, Rakesh Singha criticized the government for ignoring the veterinary infrastructure.
“There is an acute shortage of staff in veterinary hospitals and dispensaries. Animals are not getting timely vaccination or treatment, and the farmers are paying the price. The government is not holding Milkfed accountable for its inefficiency either,” he said.
Key Demands Raised by Protesters:
Fair and transparent pricing system for milk
Timely and consistent payments to farmers
Installation of modern equipment and cooling infrastructure at Dattanagar plant
Immediate improvement in veterinary healthcare and staff recruitment
If the government fails to act swiftly, the protestors warn, this agitation may soon escalate into a state-level movement.