Milk prices rises in Bhagalpur on Makar sakranti

Residents of Bhagalpur are grappling with a sharp rise in milk and milk product prices ahead of Makar Sankranti. Fresh milk prices have surged from Rs 45-Rs 60 to Rs 90-Rs 130 per litre in the open market, depending on quality, cream content and whether it is cow or buffalo milk. Meanwhile, Sudha Dairy, under the Bihar State Milk Co-operative Federation Ltd (Comfed), continues to sell packaged milk at Rs 55 per litre for standard milk and Rs 64 for full-cream milk.

Pradip Yadav, a supervisor at the wholesale milk market, said, "The demand for fresh cow and buffalo milk has suddenly increased over the past few days and will remain high during Makar Sankranti. The ritual of eating ‘dahi-chura' and ‘tilkut' during the festival is a common tradition. There is a gap between demand and supply, leading to higher prices. Consumers prefer fresh milk for its religious sanctity," he added.

Comfed's managing director, Shivendra Kumar Singh, confirmed Sudha Dairy's consistent pricing and assured that the festival demand would be met. "We are arranging 100 tonnes of milk for Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger and Jamui districts this year, compared to 33 tonnes in 2024. Our priority is to ensure sufficient supply during Makar Sankranti," Singh said. The price rise is also attributed to concerns about the quality of milk in the open market and the preference for identifiable cow or buffalo milk over packaged options.