Amul, one of India’s leading dairy brands, has said that the price of fresh pouch milk will remain unchanged despite the upcoming GST changes effective
September 22. The company stressed that pouch milk already attracts a zero per cent GST rate, so no further reduction in price is expected. Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the marketer behind Amul, told the news agency ANI, “There is no change proposed in prices of fresh pouch milk as there is no reduction in GST. It has always been zero per cent GST on pouch milk.” UHT Milk To Become More Affordable Contrary to some earlier reports hinting at a price cut of Rs 3 to Rs 4 on pouch milk, the price relief under the new GST regime will exclusively apply to UHT milk. The GST rate on UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) processed milk will drop from 5 per cent to nil starting September 22, resulting in lower prices for this long-life milk variant. Mehta explained, “Only long-life UHT milk prices will be reduced with effect from September 22 due to reduction in GST from 5 per cent to Nil.” Understanding UHT Milk And GST 2.0 Reform UHT milk undergoes Ultra-High Temperature processing, where milk is heated to around 135°C for a few seconds to eliminate almost all microorganisms. This, combined with aseptic packaging like Tetra Packs, gives UHT milk a longer shelf life of several months without refrigeration. The recent GST reforms announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 3 aim to simplify tax slabs and reduce the overall burden on consumers. The "Next-Gen GST Reform" merges multiple rates into two slabs, 5 per cent and 18 per cent, intended to ease living costs and boost economic growth. This rationalisation, effective September 22, is widely seen as a major festive season benefit for households across India.
