Aavin hikes prices of 63 dairy products ahead of Diwali; check revised rates

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.

Aavin ghee, butter and sweets become costlier

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.

Aavin retail price hike ahead of Deepavali

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.

Earlier Aavin price revisions

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)