India–US trade deal: open doors with caution, quota shields farmers
In a nuanced take on the recently agreed India–United States trade framework, agriculture economist Ashok Gulati argues that while India has conceded some openings to U.S. agricultural products, the approach is calibrated with quota systems and protective safeguards to prevent a flood of imports that could derail domestic farm livelihoods. Gulati notes that India’s agricultural…
India–US Trade Deal Criticised as Costly for Farmers
Several farmer groups and political critics have slammed the recently announced India–US trade pact, warning that it could be detrimental to India’s farm economy if agricultural and dairy products are included in the liberalised market access framework — a fear echoed from earlier trade negotiations. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other unions have stated that…
Losing Rs 1.25 per liter of milk supplied to Aavin-Farmers
A section of milk producers supplying milk to Aavin has demanded an increase of Rs 12 per litre in the procurement price, citing rising costs of cattle feed and mineral mixtures. The farmers said they spend an average of Rs 50 per litre to produce cow milk and Rs 60 per litre for buffalo milk….
Karnataka mobilises distilleries to rescue maize farmers after price collapse
Karnataka’s government has moved swiftly to counter a sharp maize-price crash that threatened to cripple livelihoods of thousands of farmers across the state. Under direction from Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka, the state convened a meeting with distilleries and ethanol manufacturers to push for immediate procurement of maize at the government-declared Minimum Support Price (MSP)…
NZ Dairy Feature: Farmers Flush with Cash, but Risk Looms
New Zealand dairy farmers are riding high this year: a record $10/kgMS milk payout from Fonterra, coupled with a $3.2 billion capital return after the co-op sold its consumer brands (like Mainland) to Lactalis. But this windfall comes with a caution. The central concern? If farmers reinvest heavily into more production, they risk repeating history:…
UK Dairy Power Shift: Farmers Gain Leverage
A new Kite Consulting report, Decoding Dairy Disruption, reveals a profound shift reshaping the UK milk value chain. With record spring 2025 milk production coinciding with global supply constraints, farmers are finding themselves in a more advantageous position—but only temporarily. Notably, UK farmgate prices remain, on average, 2.3p per litre below European standards. Meanwhile, major…
Banas Dairy Disburses ₹2,910 Cr to Farmers
At its 57th Annual General Meeting held in Badarpura, Banaskantha, Banas Dairy (Asia’s largest dairy cooperative) announced a historic total disbursement of ₹2,909.8 crore to stakeholders. The Times of India Of this, ₹2,131 crore was paid directly to registered milk producers—a robust 18.32% year-on-year increase. Additionally, ₹778.12 crore was allocated to milk cooperative societies. Chairman…
Productivity Gains Mean Little Without Fair Pay to Farmers
As India commemorates its 79th Independence Day, a moment of profound gratitude and collective reflection on the nation’s remarkable journey, few narratives resonate as powerfully as the transformation of its dairy sector. We went from a country with very little milk to becoming the world leader in dairy. This wasn’t just about making more milk;…
Katraj Dairy Announces ₹ 2/liter Milk Price hike for Farmers
In a welcome move for milk producers, the Pune District Milk Producers Association (Katraj Dairy) has announced to give ₹2 per liter in milk prices, effective immediately. The decision was made at the 65th Annual General Meeting of the association, chaired by President Bhagwan Pasalkar. The move is expected to benefit thousands of milk-producing farmers…
A disappointing Budget for farmers
Little to cheer. The focus seems to be more on raising productivity and climate resilience than farm incomes The big expectation from the Budget for agriculture was a significant increase in PM Kisan, but there was no such announcement. It stays at ₹6,000 per farmer and ₹60,000 crore as outlay for the year. Finance Minister Nirmala…