The National Consumer Front has called for urgent government intervention into the pricing and quality of fresh milk sold in the local market, warning that consumers are being unfairly burdened by excessive markups.
Addressing the media, National Consumer Front leader Asela Sampath said the increasing shift by consumers from milk powder to fresh milk has exposed serious flaws in the current dairy supply chain. He noted that while milk farmers sell a litre of fresh milk at prices between Rs.160 and Rs.200, retail prices have surged to between Rs.430 and Rs.550.
Sampath said the wide gap between farmgate and consumer prices raises serious questions about pricing practices within the industry and called for a transparent review of costs and profits along the supply chain.
He also expressed concern over the quality of fresh milk products in the market, alleging that some companies fail to adequately ensure product safety and proper monitoring of expiry dates.
The National Consumer Front urged the Ministry of Agriculture and relevant regulatory authorities to step in to control prices, strengthen quality checks and introduce long-term measures to protect both consumers and milk producers.
