Growing unrest is brewing among milk producers in Goa, who have raised their voices against the prolonged non-payment of their assured base prices. The dairy farmers state that the significant delays in receiving their dues are severely impacting their livelihoods and threatening the viability of their businesses.
Nine-Month Payment Delay Sparks Anger
The core of the grievance lies in a broken payment cycle. Farmers revealed that while they previously received payments quarterly in four phases annually—a system they already found insufficient—they were assured of a shift to monthly disbursements. However, this promise has not been fulfilled. It has been nearly nine months since the producers received any payment for their milk, pushing many into financial distress.
One distressed farmer explained the situation, stating that the earlier three-monthly payment schedule was inadequate, and the shift to monthly payments was a key assurance given to them. The failure to honour this commitment has left them in a precarious position.
Demand for Revised Profit Share and Immediate Action
Compounding the payment issue is a long-standing policy that the farmers deem unfair. They highlighted that the government's profit share was set at 40% back in 2012, a ratio that has remained static for over a decade despite changing economic conditions. The producers are now demanding an increase in their share of the profit to reflect current realities and make dairy farming sustainable.
"The dairy industry in Goa is no longer serving to be a profitable business for us," a farmer lamented, summarizing the sentiment of the community. The combination of unpaid dues and an outdated profit-sharing model has created a perfect storm of discontent.
Threat of Intensified Protests Looms
Frustrated by the lack of resolution, the dairy farmers have issued a stern warning to the authorities. Their primary demand is the immediate clearance of all pending dues. They have threatened to escalate their agitation if their concerns are not addressed promptly.
The producers have signaled that they are prepared to take their protest directly to the government's doorstep. "We are on the verge of holding a dharna at the doorstep of the govt if they fail to fulfil our demands," the farmers collectively stated. This warning indicates a significant ramp-up from current expressions of displeasure to a more visible and disruptive form of protest.
The situation underscores a deepening crisis in Goa's dairy sector, where the primary producers feel marginalized and financially strained. The call for immediate payment clearance and a revised economic framework highlights urgent issues that need government intervention to prevent the collapse of local dairy farming and secure the livelihoods of those dependent on it.
