Bengaluru, 29 October

The Bengaluru Hotels Association stated on Thursday that prices of coffee, tea and snacks in hotels will after the State Cabinet decided to hike Nandini milk prices by Rs 8 per litre. 

Terming the hike, which will take effect from 1 November, as “drastic, the Association said in a statement that it was “necessary” to hike the prices of coffee, tea and snacks in hotels. 

“If it were limited to just a Rs 2 or Rs 3 hike, there would be no reason to increase the prices” of the beverages, the body stated. 

It said that the unprecedented hike in milk prices would be a big blow to common people, including pregnant women, senior citizens and children who need the nutrition. 

Rather than passing the burden to customers in an attempt to support ryots, the Association urged the government to instead provide incentives farmers and control the administrative costs of the industry. 

The Association also noted that the price of rice had risen recently, and added that it was now “inevitable” that outlets increase the price of coffee, tea, snacks and meals at hotels. 

Notably, hotels had earlier been forced to temporarily close down during the initial shocks due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz when the US and Israel attacked Iran. 

It is unclear how much the prices in hotels will be hiked now.