The Coonoor Consumer Protection Association has appealed to the management of Aavin to sell milk and other dairy products in the Nilgiris district at prices affixed across Tamil Nadu.

S. Manogaran, president of the Coonoor Consumer Protection Association, said the dairy products in the Nilgiris, including milk and curd, were being sold at prices at a much higher cost than in the rest of the State. He said that when he contacted Aavin officials in the Nilgiris inquiring about the discrepancy, he was told that production costs of dairy products in the Nilgiris was higher due to the transportation costs associated with bringing milk to the Nilgiris from the surrounding districts.

He said that half a litre of curd, which costs ₹35 in Mettupalayam in Coimbatore, was being sold at ₹43 in the Nilgiris. “The transportation costs do not necessitate such a huge disparity in prices, and there is no clarity as to whether the prices are fixed by Government Order,” said Mr. Manogaran.

He added that the distance from Mettupalayam to the Nilgiris is only 30 kilometers and that the district’s residents are having to suffer the effects of the unfair pricing system. Mr. Manogaran said that the government should immediately look into the pricing of dairy products in the Nilgiris and issue clarifications as to why Aavin is charging higher prices in the Nilgiris.

They should also ensure that prices fixed for products are uniform across the State, to ensure that one district’s population is not unfairly treated, he said.

Source : The Hindu Oct 23 2023