Mumbai, July 17: Amid the ongoing agitation by farmers' outfits demanding higher procurement prices for milk, tankers sent by dairies were stopped on the way by protestors, triggering a possibility of milk shortage in Mumbai and other parts of the state. Angry agitators blocked milk tankers in Pune, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Buldhana, Jalgaon and several other places across the state and emptied milk on streets.

According to reports, six milk trucks were blocked on Pune-Solapur road and milk packets were also thrown at some places. Milk was also distributed free at several places in Pune by members of the agitating organisations.

Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Pune in western Maharashtra, the districts that are the epicentre of the agitation, are the major milk producers and suppliers to Mumbai and other major cities. Apart from these districts, milk is also produced on a large scale in Ahmednagar, Nashik, Jalgaon, Nanded and Parbhani districts.

According to a report by TOI, the collection dropped as most farmers, especially from Ahmednagar and western Maharashtra stopped supplying to dairies on Day 1 of the strike, even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis disapproved of the agitation.

According to a PTI report, the impact of the protest was also felt on the Amul dairy's collection centres at Vasai and Virar towns in the neighbouring Palghar district as the cooperative giant decided not to collect milk from farmers. It must be noted that Amul is the single largest supplier of milk to Mumbai.

According to reports, as many as 55 lakh milk pouches are sold in Mumbai every day, with the Gujarat-based firm having the highest market share of 30 per cent followed by Kolhapur-based Gokul. Reports inform that Ajit Nawale of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha said that the agitation would intensify further if the state government failed to procure milk at higher prices or did not give special subsidy to milk farmers.

The farmers' organisations are demanding a hike of Rs 5 per litre in milk procurement price and have decided to suspend the supply of milk. Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) chief Raju Shetti said they were compelled to take up the agitation as the state government did not pay heed to their demands.

“Farmers sell milk to dairies at Rs 17 per litre. After processing it, the dairies package it in pouches and sell it at a minimum rate of Rs 42 per litre. The difference in earnings has not been passed on to the farmer,” Lok Sabha Shetti said on Sunday.

Amid the agitation,  the Opposition on Monday supported the protestors and walked out of the Maharashtra Assembly after creating a ruckus on the issue. They accused the government of being "anti-farmer" and "indifferent" to their plight.

The state government had disapproved of the agitation launched by milk suppliers and said the government was open for talks on any issue. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis further assuring that milk supply would not be affected saying that the government has not adopted an "egoistic view" on any issue.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 17, 2018 03:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).