Mysuru hotel owners seek rollback of milk price hike

The Mysuru Hotel Owners’ Association has urged the State government to immediately withdraw the ₹8 per litre hike in milk prices, stating that the increase would further burden the already struggling hotel industry and eventually push up food prices for consumers.

At a press conference in Mysuru on Saturday, association president C. Narayanagowda and other office-bearers said the hotel industry was facing mounting operational costs due to rising prices of cooking gas, sugar, jaggery, rice, onions and vegetables, besides higher wages, electricity and water tariffs and municipal taxes.

The association pointed out that milk prices had increased by nearly ₹17 per litre over the past three years and the latest hike of ₹8 would further aggravate the situation. It would also push up the prices of milk-based products such as curd, ghee and paneer, adding to the overall cost of running hotels.

While acknowledging the need to protect farmers’ interests, the association argued that the government should extend direct subsidies or financial assistance to dairy farmers instead of increasing milk prices and passing on the burden to consumers.

“How can the hotel industry survive if the prices of every essential commodity keep rising?” Mr. Narayanagowda asked, pointing out that the sector provided employment opportunities to lakhs of people while also creating a market for agricultural produce.

The association said the government should balance the interests of farmers, the hotel industry and consumers while taking decisions on milk pricing. Trust chairman Ravi Shastri, vice-president Ugraiah and executive committee members Mahesh Kamat and Arun K.S.

were present.