Nashik: The Nashik administration today asked dairy associations here to continue supplying milk to cities like Mumbai and assured police protection to these convoys. Nashik Collector Radhakrishnan B informed that 15 milk trucks were dispatched early today morning to Mumbai under police protection.

Several farmers' outfits began an agitation today to get the state government to hike milk procurement prices by Rs 5, and grant a subsidy of the same amount, per litre. As part of the protest, milk trucks have been stopped, and their contents emptied onto the streets, by agitating outfits in several places in the state.

"If milk associations face any problem while transporting milk outside, they should inform the police and the district administration. Police protection would be provided to milk transport vehicles," he told reporters here.

He asked these associations to give the authorities their milk movement timetable so that the logistics for providing police protection could be put in place. Radhakrishnan was speaking to the press after holding a meeting with dairy cooperatives here to find a solution to the problems caused by the farmers' agitation.

The meeting was attended by Nashik Superintendent of Police Sanjay Darade and other senior officials of the local administration. Radhakrishnan said that milk supply to Mumbai from Nashik was "regular" at the moment.