Kojagiri Purnima: Pune milk demand muted, 18-litre can sells at Rs 1,300

Pune, October 25, 2026: Although drinking masala milk is a tradition on Kojagiri Purnima, demand for milk in Pune this year was lower than expected. About 2,500 to 3,000 litres of milk arrived at the wholesale milk market in Ganesh Peth from Pune and surrounding areas. On Saturday, an 18-litre can sold there for Rs 1,300.

Milk traders say the usual rush to buy milk before the festival was less visible this time. At Rs 1,300 for 18 litres, milk works out to about Rs 72.22 a litre. Last year the same quantity cost Rs 1,350 to Rs 1,400, while this year the price had reached Rs 1,500 at the time of Dussehra.

This year Kojagiri Purnima is being celebrated on October 25 and 26, that is Sunday and Monday, so there will be celebrations on both days. On the occasion, public mandals, housing societies, elected representatives and sweet shops usually buy milk in large quantities. Masala milk is prepared and distributed on this day, and there is also a tradition of offering milk to the moon before drinking it.

According to traders, despite the festival running for two days, demand did not reach the expected level. Some customers bought milk on Sunday, while others were expected to buy on Monday. Traders say that, compared with years when the festival fell on a single day, bulk buying was less concentrated in one place this time.

Traders say drought conditions have affected the milk arriving at the Ganesh Peth wholesale market. Milk reached the market from several areas, including Lashkar, Gawlivada in Arandeshwar, Wagholi, Kesnand and Wadebolhai.

Damodar alias Tatyasaheb Hingmire, vice-president of the Ganesh Peth Milk Market Purchase and Sales Association, said: "About 2,500 to 3,000 litres of milk has arrived in the Ganesh Peth wholesale market. Arrivals have fallen this year because of the drought. Demand from public mandals and housing societies is good, and many had registered their requirements in advance."

Milk trader Vishnu More said prices on Kojagiri Purnima were lower than expected compared with Dussehra. At Dussehra, an 18-litre can had sold for Rs 1,500. Traders had expected higher demand and higher prices during the festival.

Despite somewhat slow demand, milk continued to arrive at the wholesale market from different parts of Pune district. Traders say prices may rise slightly if demand picks up during the rest of the festival.