Chennai: Following the state government`s invitation for talks on the issue of hiking milk procurement prices, the Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Welfare Association on Monday temporarily called off its strike.
Speaking to reporters at Salem, around 330 km from Chennai, KA Sengottuvel, president of the association, said the strike, which began Feb 7, is temporarily called off.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday appealed to the agitating milk producers to call off their protest and participate in the talks on Tuesday.
In a statement here, the chief minister said the government has constituted a three-member team comprising of ministers K Ponmudy, U Mathivanan and Arcot N Veerasamy to hold talks with the milk producers.
Karunanidhi also said the government would withdraw the cases filed against the protesting milk producers and refuted allegations that the DMK government was reluctant to hold the talks to sort out the issue.
He said the milk procurement prices were hiked four times in the last four years and in the last month the price was hiked by Rs.1.10 and Rs.2.20 a litre for cow and buffalo milk respectively without increasing the retail prices.
He also frowned upon the milk producers dumping milk as a mark of protest.
The milk producers are demanding an hike of Rs 8 and Rs 5 per litre of buffalo and cow milk respectively.
IANS
