Chennai, 27 Sept(H.S.): Aavin outlets could see higher demand after private dairies raised milk and curd prices across Tamil Nadu, widening the gap between their products and those of the state-run cooperative. Whether that leads to shortages will depend on how many customers switch brands and how quickly Aavin can replenish its outlets.

The retail increases follow Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s decision to raise Aavin’s milk procurement price by ₹6 a litre. Private dairies also increased the rates they pay farmers to retain supplies and have passed part of the added cost on to consumers.

Dodla, Heritage, Thirumala, Srinivasa and Jersey are among the brands that have raised milk prices by up to ₹4 a litre and curd prices by up to ₹2 a kilogram. Another private dairy introduced higher prices on September 21. This is the third round of private dairy price increases this year.

A half-litre packet of standardised milk now costs ₹32, up from ₹31. The price of stabilised milk has risen from ₹35 to ₹37, while fat-enriched milk has gone from ₹40 to ₹42 for the same quantity.

For one-litre packets, standardised milk now costs ₹61 instead of ₹59, stabilised milk ₹70 instead of ₹68, and fat-enriched milk ₹81 instead of ₹78. A half-kilogram packet of curd costs ₹42, up from ₹41, while double-standardised curd has risen from ₹36 to ₹37.

Private milk prices have increased by as much as ₹10 a litre over the past year. Depending on the variety, private brands now cost about ₹14 to ₹30 a litre more than Aavin milk.

That difference may encourage households watching their expenses to choose Aavin. The higher procurement rate is meant to improve returns for farmers, but the resulting changes in the market could also test the cooperative’s ability to keep its shops stocked.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman