Milk farmers in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district have suspended their strike, which began on September 13, until September 30 following assurances from Deputy Collector Nidhi Bhardwaj. They agreed to resume milk supplies from September 19.
Their main demand was to raise the milk fat rate to ₹12 per unit, to push the price of cow milk to ₹80 per litre and buffalo milk to ₹100.
According to the Animal Husbandry Department, Rajgarh has 652,792 livestock, of which around 60%, or 392,000 animals, are milk-producing. The district produces about 450,000 litres of milk a day. Kripal Dungariya of the Sanchi Milk Union—MP State Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited— said the union procures around 70,000 litres daily. During the September 13–18 strike, procurement fell by only about 2,000 litres.
Rising Cost of Cattle Feed
Prem Singh Ranawat, district president of the Devnarayan Milk Union, said the cost of cattle feed, fodder and jaggery has risen, while milk fat rates remain around ₹8–9 per unit.
He said a farmer receives only ₹30–40 per litre for buffalo milk with 4% fat, while Sanchi processes the milk into products such as ghee and sells them for around ₹70 per litre. Farmers have called the difference unfair.
As an alternative, they have demanded that a 50-kg bag of cattle feed be sold for ₹2,000 instead of ₹3,500 and jaggery for ₹30 per kg instead of ₹80. Farmers argued that if the government can raise prices for other commodities, it should also increase the price paid for milk.
Many farmers depend on milk sales to support their families and livestock. During the strike, they stopped selling milk and alleged that the administration and police did not support them. On the flip side, video surfaced on social media showing farmers stopping others from selling milk. In some cases, milk was allegedly taken from farmers’ tanks, and packets were taken from traders.
Ranawat said farmers had been instructed not to force anyone or spill milk on the roads. He claimed that milk taken from those selling it during the strike was instead distributed to hospitals, community kitchens and old-age homes.
Farmers Submit Memorandum
On September 18, dairy farmers from across the district gathered at the Devnarayan Temple, held a motorcycle rally and then protested at the collectorate.
Ranawat said farmers had submitted a memorandum to the collector on September 15, outlining their demands.
Deputy Collector Nidhi Bhardwaj told the farmers that the collector had raised the issue with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and milk union managers.
A milk union meeting is scheduled for September 30, where Sanchi and other cooperative societies may revise their procurement rates. The administration said higher cooperative rates could also push private dairies to increase their prices. For farmers selling directly to households, however, prices remain a matter between the farmer and the customer.
The administration also assured farmers that it would try to ensure they receive the benefits of government schemes.
Some farmers remained dissatisfied despite the assurances and questioned whether they had the right to determine the price of their own milk.
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