Chitwan. Milk producers’ cooperatives have complained that they have not been paid for milk. The 31st Board of Directors meeting of the Central Milk Producers Cooperative Association held in Chitwan has threatened to launch a phased agitation from August 15 if the milk is not paid.

Milk producers’ cooperatives have threatened to launch an agitation saying they have not been able to pay even the farmers due to non-payment. Association President Amber Bahadur Kunwar said that a meeting of the chairmen of the District Cooperative Association would be organized on August 15 and the same meeting would take further decisions. “Dairy farmers want to be honoured. Not humiliated. For this, we have decided to go on a movement. At present, milk producers across the country are yet to receive payment of more than Rs 4 billion from the government and the private sector, he added.

He said that he had to join the movement as he did not see the possibility of getting payment even after repeated talks and discussions. According to him, the milk development board has to pay Rs 1 billion and the private sector Rs 3 billion. The association has made preparations for the agitation saying that the 11-point agreement reached after the talks with the government has not been implemented.

Organizing a press conference after the meeting today, association general secretary Ram Acharya said that the association will organize programs to classify the industries that pay the amount of the dairy farmers and those who do not pay the amount. “Some industries are making payments. We will classify such industries and non-paying industries and make it public with the amount to be paid. ’

Stating that there was no way out of the discussions, he also urged the government to make payment to the industries which have pending payment for a week. He added, “We will give time till May 4 by writing to the remaining industries for payment. If not till then, we will go on a movement. ’

Association’s vice-president Bhagirath Timilsina said that preparations have been made to go on an agitation as the industrialists have neglected the farmers who run the households by selling milk.

According to him, the Dairy Development Board and the private industry have said that they will pay after the sale of the goods, but the payment is pending for a long time. “Farmers will get justice from this time’s agitation,” he said. The Dairy Development Board is yet to pay the payment for the month of January, while the private sector is yet to pay the payment from November.

Association Secretary Thaneshwor Sapkota expressed his anger over the industrialists not paying the farmers’ milk in various pretexts. Stating that the dairy farmers would face problems if the situation continues, he said the stakeholders should pay attention to solve the problems. According to him, dairy farmers are facing problems as the government and the private sector are indifferent.

Milk is produced in 64 districts across the country. It was informed at a press conference that there are district milk producers cooperatives in 36 districts. Seven million litres of milk is produced daily from these districts.

On the occasion, it was informed that 1,872 milk producing cooperatives have been producing 1.3 million litres of milk daily. Stating that 600,000 families are involved in these cooperatives, Association General Secretary Acharya said that more than three million farmers are involved in milk production.