Chitwan, June 27: Milk producers in Chitwan district incurred a huge loss from a prohibitory order implemented against the second wave of COVID-19. The local cooperatives have stopped milk collection after diary industries ceased to place the order.

The Chitwan Dairy Producers’ Cooperatives organised a press conference here today, informing about the effect of the situation on the milk farmers.

Cooperatives Secretary Kishor Bagale says dairy producers are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 crisis. On the one hand, regular supply halted and on the other, some suppliers and middlepersons bagan bargaining in the price taking undue advantage of the situation. “It could be considered if customers got the products at a fair price, but they are forced to pay high price,” he said.

As he said, 2,090,214 litres of fresh milk went to waste in the district in the past 45 days, incurring the loss equivalent to over Rs 117 million. Usually, this is the peak season for milk consumption. There are 110 cooperatives in the district to collect milk from farmers. But, during the prohibitory period, almost all (except two) remained closed.

Some industries are forcing farmers to supply the milk at Rs 40 per litre and selling them to the market at a double price, it is said. The daily milk production in the district stands at 315,000 litres. Current supply is just 50 percent of the production.