CHENNAI: State-run Aavin has increased the prices of 63 dairy products, including ghee, butter, sweets, curd, milkshakes and cookies, ahead of Deepavali. The revised rates will come into effect on Wednesday, October 28, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
The Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation, which markets products under the Aavin brand, attributed the increase to rising raw material costs, milk procurement expenses and other associated costs. The revised rates were issued through an order by its Marketing Unit on Monday.
The price of 100 grams of ghee has increased from Rs 85 to Rs 95, while the price of a 500-gram pack has risen from Rs 365 to Rs 400. Butter and several popular sweets have also become costlier.
The revised prices of selected Aavin products are listed below.
Aavin revised prices
Ghee (100 ml): Rs 95, up from Rs 85
Ghee (200 ml): Rs 180, up from Rs 160
Ghee (500 ml): Rs 400, up from Rs 365
Ghee (1 litre): Rs 780, up from Rs 700
Cooking butter (100 grams): Rs 70, up from Rs 60
Cooking butter (500 grams): Rs 320, up from Rs 275
Cookies (80 grams): Rs 40, up from Rs 30
Curd (500 ml): Rs 40, up from Rs 35
Milkshake (200 ml): Rs 35, up from Rs 30
Mysore pak (250 grams): Rs 160, up from Rs 140
Mysore pak (500 grams): Rs 310, up from Rs 270
Premium milk cake (250 grams): Rs 140, up from Rs 130
Rasgulla (100 grams): Rs 50, up from Rs 45
Gulab jamun (250 grams): Rs 115, up from Rs 100
Lassi (200 ml): Rs 23, up from Rs 20
Curd (1 kg): Rs 130, up from Rs 120
Buttermilk (200 ml): Rs 10, up from Rs 8
Buttermilk (PET bottle): Rs 14, up from Rs 12
Premium cup (50 grams): Rs 7, up from Rs 5
The prices of 10 varieties of milkshakes have also increased from Rs 30 to Rs 35. The revised list covers several other value-added dairy products sold by Aavin.
The order directs officials to implement the revised rates and update billing systems and other relevant software applications. However, it does not announce a general increase in packaged milk prices, with the revision limited to selected dairy products and sweets.
The latest hike comes amid preparations for Deepavali, when demand for sweets and other festive food items typically rises. The increase is likely to add to household spending during the festive season.
The latest revision follows an earlier controversy in July, when Aavin withdrew a ghee price revision order within a week after it came under media scrutiny.
In August, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced an increase in the milk procurement price paid by Aavin to dairy farmers to improve their returns. The revised procurement rates came into effect on September 1, while retail milk prices remained unchanged.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has also criticised the increase in ghee and butter prices, questioning whether the hike would add to the burden of rising inflation.
(With inputs from Bureau)