Private tanker operators carrying milk to and from dairies of Aavin have withdrawn their strike hoping that the milk major will soon finalise the tenders called in October last.
They had announced an indefinite strike demanding finalisation of the tender so that they would get better rates.
The operators had been transporting milk for the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation, whose popular brand is Aavin, based on rates fixed in 2015.
Aavin Contract Lorry Owners’ Association president R. Subramani said they were spending ₹16/km on diesel, ₹5/km for the driver and ₹4/on toll and apart from these ₹7,000 on insurance every month and additional amounts on maintenance.
“We were being paid ₹24/km including toll charges, which were hardly enough to cover the cost. We were not making profits. We only want Aavin to consider our request for a better rate. There are many families that solely depend on this income for survival,” he said. There are about 315 trucks under the association.
Supply ensured
Aavin managed to tide over the strike and ensure supply to the city without any issues. “We had engaged other transporters for nominal rates since we cannot allow a section of contractors to hold Aavin, the government and the consumers to ransom. We relaxed the conditions. But these are temporary arrangements and the Board Level tender committee will take a call on the tender. It will consider rates and contract conditions,” said a senior official.
Aavin supplies around 11 lakh litres of milk a day to the Chennai city.
It procures around 30 lakh litres of milk from farmers across the State.
