Bhubaneswar, Oct. 7: The state-owned Orissa State Co-Operative Milk Producers Federation Limited (Omfed), the sole-distributor of milk in the state, has decided to hike the price of milk by Rs 2 per litre from October 11. Henceforth, the customer will have to pay Rs 24 for a litre of toned milk and Rs 22 per litre for double-toned milk.

Chairman-cum-managing director of Omfed Satyabrata Sahu said: “Keeping the interest of over 2.54 lakh milk-producers of the state, Omfed has decided to increase milk price. The farmers will get Rs 1.75 more per litre of milk.”

Omfed’s public relations officer Subas Chandra Tripathy said: “Milk producers have been demanding milk price revision for the last several days. We have not enhanced milk rate for two years. There is no other option left than to enhance the price of milk.”

Omfed was also forced to hike milk price because of rate hike of raw materials, growing transportation cost, electricity dues and packaging cost. However, the milk price hike is going to hit nearly 15 lakh consumers directly in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Sabitri Das, 36, whose husband works in a private firm said: “ Now, I don’t know how to manage my home budget.”

Sources said Omfed was forced to raise price as the procurement of milk was reduced by 50,000 litre per day because of the flood that wrought havoc in 21 districts last month.