Mumbai: Besides being on top in the list of states in India with highest number of Coronavirus cases, Maharashtra is also facing a heated agitation called in by dairy farmers and milk unions of the state who are protesting against the low prices that dairies are paying for their produce. ALSO READ | From Amarnath Yatra To Durga Puja, 5 Big Religious Events Cancelled Or Scaled Back Due To Coronavirus

The agitation in Maharashtra which started on Monday, intensified on the second day to demand higher prices of milk to farmers.

In order to stage protest against low prices, hundreds of activists and milk producing farmers led by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS)  set the milk tanker on fire in Hingol. The protesters opened fire by spraying petrol on the tires.

In Bidri area of ​​Kolhapur, agitators stopped the milk cart and dumped hundreds of liters of milk on the streets. In Akola, farmers shed hundreds of liters of milk on the road and drains.

As quoted in an IANS report, SSS President Raju Shetti said that the rural economy has been hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"The dairy industry is a key supportive sector in the rural economy, providing livelihood to lakhs of farmers. But due to the lockdowns, milk consumption is down by over 40 per cent and milk is being converted to butter or skimmed milk powder."

ALSO READ | Delhi Riots Accused Sharjeel Imam Tests Coronavirus Positive; Police Delays His Transfer From Guwahati Jail

He went on to say that the dairy owners are not ready to accept raw milk from the farmers which has led to a drastic fall in the price of the milk. "Farmers get barely Rs 18-20 per litre, resulting in a crisis in the dairy sector," Shetti said.

According to the reports, farmers have demanded the state government to purchase their buffer stocks of 30,000 tonnes of milk powder and provide Rs 30 per Kg subsidy for milk powder export.

In addition to this, the union has also demanded to withdraw GST on all dairy products which ranges from 5 per cent to 12 per cent, till the pandemic situation is over to enable people afford and consume more milk products.