Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Milk demand in the city has surged ahead of Kojagiri Purnima, with about 3.5 lakh litres of packaged milk ordered by Sunday evening more than double the usual supply. Dairy owners say loose milk sales will also rise from 50,000 litres daily to nearly 1 lakh litres.
Temples of the Goddess, which closed at midnight on Dussehra, will reopen early Monday for Kojagiri Purnima. Devotees will seek blessings at sunrise, and in the evening, spiced milk will be consumed while observing the moon’s reflection in the steaming beverage. For the festival, companies have ordered 5 kg of saffron and 5 quintals of spiced milk mix. Saffron, currently costing Rs 2.2 lakh per kg, is pricier than silver at Rs 1.5 lakh per kg. A half-gram box sells for Rs 210.
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GST cut benefits consumers
Spiced milk mix now attracts 5% GST instead of 12%, reducing prices. A kilo of milk spice, earlier Rs 4,000, is now Rs 3,750; a 10-gram box, previously Rs 46, is now Rs 43.
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Business boom expected
Overall, sales for the occasion are expected to exceed Rs 4 crore, driven by a surge in both packaged and loose milk consumption.