The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, or GCMMF, which distributes its dairy goods under the well-known brand name Amul, has received harsh criticism from both locals and opposition leaders as it gets ready to expand into Karnataka. On April 5, Amul said that fresh milk and other products would be sent to Bengaluru. In a tweet, Amul wrote, "A new wave of freshness with milk and curd is coming to Bengaluru. More information coming soon.#LaunchAlert"
The backlash against Amul arises amid the fact that the state has its own local brand, Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which distributes milk and curd under the brand name Nandini in the state. Following Amul's statement, hashtags such as #Savenandini and #GobackAmul became popular on Twitter.
What Is The Amul vs Nandini Milk Controversy?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked for a merger between KMF and Amul late last year, which raised eyebrows. While inaugurating a mega-dairy in Mandya, Karnataka, Shah predicted that Amul and Nandini will become the principal dairies in three years if they collaborated.
He continued by saying that farmers across the nation would profit if Gujarat and Karnataka joined forces. This was seen as a hint that the two cooperatives might eventually merge, which was later opposed by political parties and a number of professionals.
According to media reports, Nandini is Bengaluru's top milk provider. The Opposition parties in poll bound state have alleged that Amul's entry is part of a plot to destroy the Nandini brand. Moreover, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association also announced that they would exclusively use Nandini milk as a form of protest against Amul.
With Amul's announcement of entry into the Bengaluru market, the Congress and BJP are at odds. According to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the government is clear on the Amul problem. While accusing Congress of politicising Amul's debut into Karnataka, Bommai said that Nandini was the "pride of Karnataka" and that his government had taken all necessary steps to make it the best in the country. He was reported stating, "Nandini's market reach is wide, there is no need to fear Amul."
Even the state cooperation minister, ST Somashekar reaffirmed that the Nandini brand could not be removed.
However, Jayen Mehta, MD of GCMMF told Financial Express that he was aware of the tweetstorm that erupted following Amul’s announcement of its launch into Karnataka. He continued by saying that the brand is currently focusing on e-commerce channels rather than general trade.
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