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Amidst persistent inflation, Mumbai residents have been dealt another blow. The wholesale price of milk here has risen from ₹93 to ₹102 per litre. The new rates came into effect today.

September begins today, and on the very first day of the month, Mumbai residents have faced a significant jolt from inflation. Milk prices in the city have gone up starting today. A steep hike of ₹9 per litre has been implemented for loose buffalo milk sourced from *tabelas* (cattle sheds) in Mumbai. Consequently, the wholesale rate for *tabela* operators has increased from ₹93 to ₹102 per litre.

Regarding retail prices, by the time this milk reaches your home via local vendors or dairies, the cost could range between ₹110 and ₹115 per litre. In other words, the morning cup of tea might become a costly affair for residents of Mumbai and the surrounding Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Why were milk prices raised?

Mumbai's *tabela* owners and the Bombay Milk Producers Association (BMPA) have cited several reasons for this historic hike in milk prices:

The primary reason is a 25% surge in the cost of animal feed. Prices for fodder, grains, and feed additives like *tur chuni* (split pigeon pea husk), *chana chuni* (split gram husk), and maize have jumped by up to 25% over the past year.

Furthermore, the cost of the cattle (buffaloes) themselves has risen. There has been a massive surge—ranging from 60% to 70%—in the cost of purchasing high-quality, milk-yielding cattle.

Milk producers state that the current cost of producing one litre of pure milk stands at approximately ₹98. Under these circumstances, selling milk at the old rates was becoming a loss-making proposition for them. Sweets Set to Become Costlier

This hike in milk prices ahead of festivals like Ganeshotsav, Navratri, and Diwali could pinch the common man's pocket. As milk prices rise, sweets made from *mava* (khoa), *paneer*, curd, cream, and *chhena* will also become more expensive, given the significant surge in their consumption during the festive season.

Additionally, the prices of 'cutting chai' and coffee sold at local tea stalls and kiosks could also go up by ₹1 to ₹2. It is worth noting that this price hike currently applies only to loose buffalo milk sourced directly from dairies; no changes have been announced so far regarding the prices of packaged milk from brands like Amul, Govardhan, or Gokul.