Srinagar: Amul and Mother Dairy – India’s largest dairy product retailers – on Wednesday hiked milk prices by Rs 2 per litre, intensifying inflationary pressures already fuelled by the war and squeezing household budgets.
The increase, the second by the two dairy cooperatives in 13 months, is expected to prompt similar hikes by regional dairy companies.
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets milk and milk products under the Amul brand, in a statement, said it has “increased the prices of fresh pouch milk by Rs 2 per litre in major milk-selling variants/packs across India effective from May 14”.
Separately, Mother Dairy said it has revised the consumer prices of its liquid milk variants by Rs 2 per litre, effective Thursday.
The last price increase by GCMMF was on May 1, 2025, while Mother Dairy had raised rates in April 2025.
The price increase by India’s two largest organised milk retailers will add to food inflation, which has risen in recent weeks due to the conflict in West Asia.
The food inflation in April crossed the 4 per cent mark, and the latest milk price increase will add to the burden of the common man.
GCMMF said the increase in prices translates to about 2.5-3.5 per cent per litre, which is lower than the average food inflation.
“The price hike is being done due to an increase in the overall cost of operation and production of milk. There is a substantial increase in the cost of cattle feed, milk packaging film and fuel during the year,” GCMMF said.
The cooperative said its member unions have also increased farmers’ procurement price by Rs 30 per kg of fat, which is a 3.7 per cent increase over May 2025.
On the price hike, Mother Dairy said, “The revision has been necessitated in view of the sustained increase in farmer procurement prices, of around 6 per cent over the past one year, despite continued efforts to limit the impact on consumers”.
It further said that this price revision represents only a partial pass-through of increased costs and is aimed at “maintaining a fair balance between farmer welfare and consumer interests”.
Both Amul and Mother Dairy pass on around 75-80 per cent of their sales realisation to milk producers.
Mother Dairy sells 55 lakh litres of milk per day across the country. It is a leading milk supplier in Delhi-NCR.
As per Amul’s revised rates in Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh for a 500 ml pack, ‘slim N variant’ will cost Rs 27, Taaza Rs 30, cow milk Rs 31 and Gold Rs 36. However, buffalo milk price has been increased by Rs 4 per litre to Rs 80.
Mother Dairy said the prices of toned milk (bulk vended) have been increased to Rs 58 per litre from Rs 56 per litre. Full cream milk (pouched) will cost 72 per litre.
The rate of toned milk (pouched) has been increased to Rs 60 from Rs 58 per litre, while double-toned milk will cost Rs 54 per litre. Prices of cow milk have been increased to Rs 62 per litre from Rs 60 per litre.
GCMMF is the world’s largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative with 3.6 million farmers, responsible for marketing Amul milk and milk products across 50-plus countries.
It collects more than 30 million litres of milk every day and distributes annually over 24 billion packs of Amul products, which include milk, butter, cheese, ghee, and ice cream, among others.
GCMMF’s turnover rose 11 per cent to Rs 73,450 crore in the last fiscal from Rs 65,911 crore in the preceding financial year.
The total turnover of the Amul brand rose 11 per cent in the 2025-26 fiscal to cross the Rs 1 lakh crore milestone on higher demand for dairy products.
Mother Dairy, commissioned in 1974, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). It achieved a 17 per cent growth in its turnover to Rs 20,300 crore last fiscal year on better demand for its milk products and cooking oils.
The company sells milk and milk products under the ‘Mother Dairy’ brand. It markets edible oils under the ‘Dhara’ brand. Fresh fruits & vegetables, frozen vegetables, snacks, pulps and concentrates are sold under the ‘Safal’ brand.
Mother Dairy owns nine milk processing plants and four horticulture processing plants. In edible oil, the company operates through 16 associated plants.(PTI)
