NEW DELHI: Amid growing unrest among milk farmers in Maharashtra against plummeting prices due to a glut, the Centre on Tuesday announced 10 per cent incentive on exported milk products.

A high-powered committee chaired by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari also proposed to provide milk products as aid to certain countries and also introducing milk in the mid-day meal scheme.

“We have a stock of about 3.5 lakh tonnes of milk powder. We need to export at least one lakh tonne to reduce the stock. We have proposed several interventions, which will be formalised on Wednesday when we hold a meeting with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj ,” Gadkari said while appealing to protesters to maintain peace and give a little time to the government to address the crisis.

He added that government will see whether it can supply milk powder and other milk products to countries in Africa and Indonesia as well. “Without offloading the stock, we can resolve the crisis,” he added. Two major milk producing states - Maharashtra and Gujarat - have supported the government notification to provide export incentive.

The high-powered panel meeting was attended by finance and railway minister Piyush Goyal. “The railways will think over it and take a decision in 3-4 days,” Goyal said after the meeting. He added that he will take up the issue regarding consumption of milk, with other ministries.

Milk farmers in Maharashtra have been on an indefinite strike since Monday. There have also been instances of violence in some parts of the state.

The government on Tuesday also announced giving export incentive for onions to reduce the huge stock to avoid another crisis in Maharashtra.

