Milk Vendors Urge FDA to Reconsider Loose Milk Ban to Protect 15 Lakh Livelihoods
On Friday, July 17, 2026, a delegation of retail milk vendors met with officials at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in the Bandra-Kurla Complex of Mumbai to submit a memorandum urging the regulatory body to reconsider its recent ban on loose milk sales. Led by Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader Sanjay Nirupam, the vendors requested more time to comply with new packaging regulations, warning that the sudden ban threatens the livelihoods of nearly 15 lakh people associated with the dairy trade across Maharashtra.
The delegation had planned to meet FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. Since Mundhe was unavailable, they submitted their memorandum to a senior FDA official instead.
The FDA's recent order prohibits the sale of loose and retail milk across Maharashtra in an effort to curb adulteration and strengthen food safety. Under the new rules, violators face penalties ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, as well as the potential cancellation of their dairy licenses. The regulation also mandates that containers carrying raw milk must prominently display labels reading "RAW MILK" and "Boil Before Consumption."
Following the meeting at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, Sanjay Nirupam told reporters that FDA officials assured the delegation that fresh milk supplied directly from cattle sheds can still be sold until 10 a.m., provided it is pre-packed before distribution. The vendors are seeking additional time to build the necessary infrastructure to comply with these new packaging standards.
According to Nirupam, there are approximately 50,000 dairies in Mumbai that supply milk directly to residential buildings, housing colonies, and slum areas through door-to-door delivery. Fresh milk sourced from cattle sheds accounts for about 10 percent of Mumbai's daily milk requirement, while the remaining 90 percent is met through pasteurised milk transported and stored in tankers.
The vendors argued that the new restrictions would disrupt the existing supply chain, noting that many consumers prefer fresh raw milk directly from dairies. They also highlighted the price difference, stating that fresh raw milk from cattle sheds costs approximately Rs 98 per litre, compared to pasteurised milk which sells for around Rs 68 per litre.
Mumbai consumes nearly 50 lakh litres of milk daily, while the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region records a daily consumption of around 60 lakh litres.
