Dharamshala, April 14
Farmers in Mandi protested against Milkfed for allegedly failing to procure milk by dumping it outside the facility gate, triggering a political row, as BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma criticised the state government over the issue. The protest was held in response to Milkfed’s refusal to purchase milk, with farmers expressing anger over non-payment of dues. Sharma said the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government has ignored the concerns of farmers and dairy producers.
He alleged that despite earlier promises to purchase cow milk at ₹80 per kg and buffalo milk at ₹100 per kg, payments for milk supplied between January and March are still pending. He said several dairy farmers from Dharamshala have also raised similar concerns.
Sharma warned that if payments are not cleared soon, farmers may stop supplying milk to Milkfed and sell it in the open market, where they are getting better prices. He said the situation has forced farmers to dump milk in protest, reflecting policy failure. Taking a dig at the chief minister, Sharma said public trust in the government has declined and accused it of making inconsistent claims.
