Gujarat : Milk gets costlier in Surat and Tapi as Sumul announces price hike

Surat | Gujarat — Household budgets in South Gujarat are set to feel the squeeze as Sumul Dairy has announced a ₹2 per litre increase in milk prices across all five of its brands, effective May 19. The decision will impact more than 1.25 crore consumers across Surat and Tapi districts, where milk is a daily essential for millions of families.

The hike follows rising inflation and increasing production costs, including diesel, transportation, cattle feed and packaging materials.

Rising costs force price revision

Officials said the price revision became unavoidable as operating expenses surged in recent months. “The custodian has approved the increase to offset higher diesel prices, transportation charges, mineral fodder and packaging film costs,” a Sumul Dairy source said.

The dairy union has also committed to paying nearly ₹425 crore annually as price adjustment bonus to around 2.5 lakh cattle farmers, a move aimed at protecting farmer incomes amid rising input costs.

“With inflation impacting the entire supply chain, this adjustment is necessary to sustain milk procurement and ensure fair returns to farmers,” the source added.

New milk prices from today

From May 19, consumers will pay more for popular milk variants. The revised prices include:

Amul Gold: ₹72 per litre

Amul Taja: ₹58 per litre

Amul Shakti: ₹66 per litre

Sumul Cow Milk: ₹60 per litre

Amul Slim & Trim: ₹52 per litre

Amul Buffalo Milk: ₹78 per litre

The price of Sumul buttermilk has also increased by ₹2 per litre, with a 500 ml pouch now costing ₹17.

Impact on household budgets

With 70–75 lakh consumers in Surat alone relying on daily milk supply, the price hike is expected to add pressure to household expenses already strained by inflation.

Industry observers say the move reflects broader trends in the dairy sector, where rising fuel and feed costs continue to drive price revisions. “Milk prices are closely tied to farmer sustainability and supply chain costs. Periodic adjustments are inevitable,” an industry expert noted.