New Delhi, Jan 20 : Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Wednesday indicated that the price of milk would increase in north India on account of a dip in milk production.

"There is a gap of 18 lakh tonnes between demand and the current milk supply," the minister said here even while maintaining that the government was looking into the issue of price rise.

Pawar was addressing the national conference of state ministers of animal husbandry and dairy here.

Earlier in the day, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation, led by senior leader L. K. Advani and president Nitin Gadkari, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his 7, Race Course Road residence to "convey the concern of the people" on the rising prices of food articles.

The prime minister has called a meeting of chief ministers here Jan 27 to discuss the issue.(IANS)