Jaipur Farmers Counter Ethanol-Blended Petrol With 'Water-Blended Milk' Protest

By introducing three varieties of water blended milk, the farmers, and livestock owners of Jaipur rural area have registered a unique and symbolic protest against the Central Government's policy of blending ethanol into petrol.

A video of introduction of three varieties of water blended milk M-0, M-50, and M-100 went viral on social media. The video was released by the 'Jaipur Milk Producers' Struggle Committee'—an organization representing livestock farmers of Jaipur rural.

The president of the committee Raman Yadav, said that just as the Central Government sells petrol blended with ethanol to the public, farmers have symbolically introduced water blended milk M-0, M-50, and M-100 for union ministers. The M-100 is pure milk with no water in it, M-50 is with 50 percent of water and M-0 is only water and no milk.

“ Just as the government is presenting fuel adulteration as a formal policy, farmers too have attempted to convey their message through a mixture of milk and water," said Yadav.

He said that millions of people in rural India still rely on petrol-driven vehicles. There is growing concern among farmers and livestock owners regarding the impact of the ethanol-blending policy on their finances, transportation costs, and vehicle maintenance. This symbolic campaign has been launched to voice that very frustration.

Farmers said that livestock farmers are grappling with rising prices of animal feed and fodder on one hand, while milk procurement prices are not increasing in line with production costs. Furthermore, milk subsidies payable by the state government have been pending for a long time. Consequently, the financial burden on livestock farmers and agriculturists continues to mount.