Apr 19th, 05:30 PM (IST)
- Milma- Kerala-based Milk Corporation
- Nandini- Karnataka-based Milk Corporation
- Amul- Gujarat-based Milk Corporation
The whole controversy started when on Apr 5th, 2023, the Amul milk brand announced that it would soon be entering the Karnataka market to supply its milk and curd online.
As the date of the elections draws near, there is a heated debate between the political parties regarding the milk brand.
Gujarat-based dairy cooperative Amul tweeted about its business expansion in Karnataka following which Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), local Kannadigas, and the Opposition congress, the JD(S) started a campaign against the Amul milk brand as well as #gobackamul started to trend on social media.
MILMA, NANDINI, AMUL COMPETING SCENERIO
| Milma (KCMF), Kerala | Nandini (KMF), Karnataka | Amul (GMF), Gujarat | |
| Overall | One of the profitable milk cooperative in Kerala. | Among India’s largest milk corporative. | Largest milk & diary corporative in the country. |
| Founded | 1980 | 1974 | 1948 |
| Location | Thiruvananthapuram, kerala. | Benguluru, Karnataka. | Ananda, Gujarat. |
| Annual Turnover | 4,300 crore | 19,784 crore | 55,000 crore |
| No. Of Producers | 15.2 lakh | 2.4 million | 3.64 million |
| Total Milk handling capacity | 1 lakh litres/ day | 1 million litres/day | 5.2 million litres/day |
| Average Milk Collection | 14.29 lakh litres/day | 81.3 lakh litres/day | 26.3 million litres/day |
| Face to Face | Has at least 12 varieties of milk | Has at least 18 varieties of milk | Has at least 13 varieties of milk |
Milma vs Nandini controversy
On Friday the chairman of the Kerala-based co-operation Milk Marketing Federation (KCMF) trade name ‘Milma’ criticized the Karnataka-based Milk Federation (KMF) as it opened outlets in the Malabar district of Kerala to sell its products. The chairman said that this is a violation of the cooperative spirit and at the same time it will create problems for the state farmers as well.
As per PTI, Milma chairman KS Mani, said, ‘Of late, there has been a growing tendency on the part of some of the state milk marketing federations to market their staple products outside their respective domain. This grossly violates the Federal Principles and cooperative spirit based on which the country’s dairy co-operative movement has been built and nurtured by pioneers like Tribhuvandas Patel and Dr. Verghese Kurien.
The chairman of Milma expressed the same concern towards the market expansion of Nanadini (KMF) in Kerala as the Karnataka Milk Federation is now expressing towards the market expansion of the Amul milk brand business in Karnataka.
Milma hikes their price from Rs. 29 to Rs.30 on Monday, Apr 17th, 2023.
Nandini vs Amul Controversy
Karnataka-based milk cooperation Nandini is the second largest milk cooperative in the country and Amul milk brand Gujarat-based milk cooperative is the top largest milk cooperative in the country.
Amul started making inroads in Karnataka in 2015. On Apr 5th, Amul tweeted that it will expand the business online soon in Karnataka following which (KMF) showed as a new entrant into the e-commerce space, Amul’s online presence in the state could create unhealthy competition despite the pricing difference, the federation said.
Karnataka is also a milk-excess market, which means it not only meets the needs of the state but also exports the surplus to other states. With the KMF expanding its market through competitive pricing, Nandini produucts are today available in Mumbai, pune, Hydrabad, Chennai, Kerala, and Goa.
Therefore, the KMF is planning to write to the National Dairy Development Board, requesting it to direct Amul not to travel into the Bengaluru market- which could hurt both their business interests and inadvertently favor private players- and instead concentrate on milk-deficient states.
KMF’s Bangalore Milk Union Limited (BAMUL) claimed that the milk production in the state amid the onset of summer. However, the Karnataka State Hotels’ Association (KSHA) alleged that an ‘artificial scarcity’ of Nandini products has been created in favor of Amul’s entry in Karnataka, as reported by PTI.
The price of Nandini’s toned milk is Rs.39 and Amul’s is Rs.54.
Political Babble
After Amul’s announcement, the opposition Congress, the JD(S), and other sections of Kannadigas expressed fear that Amul would eat into the market of Nandini and pose a threat to its business in the state.
While BJP leaders shot down claims of a merger, Congress and JD(S) accused the ruling party of attempting to weaken the state’s cooperative milk federation, which currently supports 28 lakh farmers and 2.5 lakh employees.
The hoteliers of Bangaluru also come out in support of KMF and its Nandini brand. P.C. Rao, president of the Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteleliers” Association (BBHA), pledged the support of hoteliers in the city through the procurement and promotion of Nandini milk.
We should wholeheartedly support the KMF that procures milk from our farmers and is the pride of our state. Nandini brand of milk is the backbone of great tasting coffee and tea in Bengaluru,” he had said.
In between the controversy of Nandini and Amul milk brand, Milma Chairman K S Maini, also stated that ” There is stiff resistance in Karnataka against the move of Amul (Gujarat Milk Cooperative Federation) to sell its product in the state when stakeholders of Karnataka Milk Federation are strongly opposing the entry of Amul to their market, how can the Karnataka Federation’s entry to Kerala be justified? This is unethical and defeats the very purpose of the country’s dairy cooperative movement.
Conclusion
It is assumed that no political party would suffer in the controversy of milk brands but the farmers and locals suffer no matter what will be the result.