Sabarkantha: A protest by thousands of dairy farmers and cattle rearers demanding higher milk procurement prices turned violent on Monday at the premises of the Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, commonly known as Sabar Dairy. The agitation, which began peacefully, escalated when protesters were denied entry into the facility, leading to clashes with police and damage to property.
Protesters broke through metal barricades, damaged CCTV cameras, and pelted stones, some of which were directed at police personnel, as per the reports. At least three individuals were reportedly injured during the chaos. In response, law enforcement deployed over 20 rounds of tear gas and used baton charges to control the crowd. A heavy police force, including one Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), four Police Inspectors (PIs), and eight Police Sub-Inspectors (PSIs), supported by a team of over 80 officers, was dispatched to manage the escalating situation.
The demonstrators are demanding a 20–25% increase in milk procurement incentives, expressing anger over what they see as a significant drop in bonus payments. According to the farmers, Sabar Dairy allocated ₹602 crore last year for bonuses, resulting in a 17% rise in milk prices. However, this year, the bonus fund has reportedly been cut to ₹500 crore, yielding a much lower incentive increase of only 9.75%.
Tensions further rose when local MLA Dhavalsinh Zala joined the protest in solidarity with the farmers. Protesters accused Sabar Dairy of deploying private security personnel, referred to as “bouncers”, to prevent them from voicing their concerns. The unrest reflects broader dissatisfaction among Gujarat’s dairy farmers, who say their livelihoods are being undermined by inadequate price incentives and limited engagement from cooperative leadership.
Authorities have tightened security around the dairy premises to prevent further escalation, as talks between the farmers and the cooperative remain unresolved.
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