Milk Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal buys cow milk at ₹61 a litre and buffalo milk at ₹71 a litre from village dairy societies, the first state in India to fix a support price for milk.
Run by: Government of Himachal Pradesh, through the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (HP Milkfed)
- Cow milk price (2026-27)
- ₹61 per litre
- Buffalo milk price (2026-27)
- ₹71 per litre
- Daily buying limit
- 20 litres per producer
- Monthly payout (Apr 2026)
- About ₹34 crore
Overview
In the hills, most families keep a cow or a buffalo, and milk is a steady source of cash. Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to give a minimum support price on milk. HP Milkfed buys milk from village dairy cooperative societies at the state’s fixed price. The Chief Minister has said the aim is to put money in the hands of rural families, since about 90% of the state’s people live in villages.
The price has gone up in steps. The state government said it was paying ₹45 a litre for cow milk and ₹55 for buffalo milk in 2024-25. By June 2025 the rates were ₹51 and ₹61. In the state budget of 21 March 2026 the Chief Minister raised them by ₹10 each, to ₹61 for cow milk and ₹71 for buffalo milk, and Milkfed quotes those rates in June 2026. Milk is paid according to its quality. In April 2026 the Chief Minister said producers were getting about ₹34.18 crore a month in payments.
Milkfed collects milk at the farmer’s door where it can, and has set up automated milk collection centres, so the fat and quality are measured openly. Producers who bring milk to a notified centre more than 2 km from home were given an extra ₹2 a litre for transport, as reported in 2025. Payment is made to the producer’s bank account. The state has also said Milkfed will bring in a digital system so that farmers can see their collection, quality results and payment on a mobile phone.
In June 2026 Milkfed set a limit: it will buy at most 20 litres of milk per producer per day at the support price. It said the reason was to bring more small farmers into the cooperative system and stop a few big producers taking most of the benefit. The decision drew sharp criticism, and Milkfed defended it publicly. Rates and the cap are set by the government and Milkfed and can be changed, so confirm them at your society before you plan.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- A price fixed by the state for cow milk (₹61 a litre) and buffalo milk (₹71 a litre).
- Milk is collected from your village, often at your door, and tested openly at automated collection centres.
- Payment goes into your bank account.
- Extra ₹2 a litre for transport if your collection centre is more than 2 km away, as reported in 2025.
- A goat-milk buying pilot was reported in June 2025 at ₹70 a litre.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- A milk producer in Himachal Pradesh who sells through a village dairy cooperative society linked with HP Milkfed.
- Cow or buffalo milk that meets the quality standards. The price is paid according to quality.
- Only up to 20 litres a day per producer is bought at the support price.
Not covered
- Milk above 20 litres a day from one producer, under Milkfed’s June 2026 limit.
- Milk that does not meet the quality standards.
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- Membership or registration details of your dairy cooperative society
- Aadhaar card
- Bank passbook for the account where payment will come
- Any other paper your society or Milkfed office asks for — ask for its full list
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Join a village dairy cooperative society
Ask the nearest HP Milkfed office or your gram panchayat where the society is. If there is none, ask about the Him Ganga scheme, under which the state has been forming new milk societies.
- 2
Register as a member
Give your details and bank account to the society so payment can reach you.
- 3
Deliver milk at the collection centre or door-step round
Your milk is measured and tested at the centre. Keep the slip or record.
- 4
Get paid in your bank account
Check the rate and quality result on the slip. Ask the society secretary if a payment looks wrong.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- Start with the secretary of your dairy cooperative society, then the HP Milkfed office for your area. Carry your slips and bank details.
- If it is not solved, use the state’s eSamadhan portal (esamadhan.nic.in) or the Chief Minister’s helpline, 1100.
Frequently asked questions
Is this like MSP for wheat or paddy?
It is a price the state pays for milk, not a central MSP. The state fixes it and HP Milkfed pays it when it buys from village dairy societies. It is not open to all milk sold anywhere. It applies to milk sold through Milkfed.
What is the price now?
Cow milk ₹61 a litre and buffalo milk ₹71 a litre, as announced in the state budget of 21 March 2026 and quoted by Milkfed in June 2026. Earlier it was ₹51 and ₹61 in 2025, and ₹45 and ₹55 in 2024-25.
Why is there a 20-litre daily limit?
Milkfed says it wants more small and marginal farmers to sell at the support price and does not want a few large producers taking most of the benefit. It was set in June 2026.
Does the price depend on fat and quality?
Yes. Milk is paid according to quality standards, so richer, cleaner milk fetches a better rate. Ask the society for the fat and SNF slab that applies.
Is goat milk covered?
A pilot to buy goat milk at ₹70 a litre was reported in June 2025. It was small. Ask HP Milkfed whether it covers your area.
How do I get the transport subsidy?
In 2025 the government said producers who deliver to notified centres more than 2 km away get ₹2 extra a litre. Ask your society if it is still paid and how it is claimed.
Who runs HP Milkfed?
It is the state’s apex cooperative body for milk producers, registered in 1980. It organises village milk societies and buys their surplus milk at farmers’ doors.
Facts checked against hpmilkfed.org on 26 September 2026. editorial policy.