Kathmandu, July 28:

The Central Dairy Co-operative Association Ltd Nepal (CDCAN) today urged the government to increase the price of milk and other dairy products by 20 per cent.

“We have demanded for an increase in the price of milk and dairy products time and again during meetings with Tek Bahadur Thapa, secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives. But our demands have not been addressed,” a CDCAN press release said.

The press release added that if the government failed to increase the

price within seven days according to its agreement with Dairy Development Association (DDA), Nepal Dairy Association and CDCAN, they would be forced to stage street demonstrations against the government, the National Dairy Board and other concerned authorities.

There are over four lakh workers in 1,564 dairy associations in 59 districts of Nepal. Due to increase in cost of milk production and increase in prices of other commodities, the dairy sector is facing hard times.