A parliamentary body has alleged that private milk supply companies supply low quality milk to the market.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the LGRD ministry said these companies buy low-quality milk from local and foreign sources and mix it with harmful substances and sell at lower prices than Milk Vita, a government milk producing company.

The parliamentary watchdog stressed the need for informing the public about this matter. This issue was also discussed in the previous meeting of the committee.

It is learnt that in the previous meeting, Awami League MP Shahe Alam said private milk suppliers buy low-quality milk from the market at a low price.

"Low quality powdered milk is imported from abroad with five percent tax and mixed and sold in the market at a relatively low price," he said.

In the meeting, State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperative Swapan Bhattacharya said Milk Vita products are 100 percent pure.

He also highlighted the need for proper quality control. He said currently they are buying such milk by paying 5 percent tax from the other countries.

The state minister proposed to impose 10-15 percent VAT on imported milk.

LGRD Minister Tazul Islam also said people have to be informed about the matter.

Sources at Rural Development and Cooperative Department said Milk Vita currently has the capacity to process 4 lakh litres of milk.

Milk Vita collects milk at an average rate of Tk 50 per kg but farmers sell the milk in the open market and fetch Tk 70-90 per litre in some cases.

The committee recommended to present Milk Vita more attractively to people through promotion and advertisement.

Awami League MP Nurul Islam Nahid presided over the meeting.