“We are selling milk only through e-commerce and not through vendors or other retailers. There is no question of challenging KMF.” : Jayen Mehta, MD Amul

 Amul, which used to sell many products including ice cream in Bengaluru is now going to deliver fresh milk and yogurt to homes through the e-commerce online platform. Amul shared this information on its Twitter and Facebook handles. But after this, outrage is intensifying on social media handles against Amul. Amul’s move to enter the sales business was a source of outrage among Kannadigas and they have started a campaign against this with the hashtag ‘Boycott Amul, Save Nandini’. There has been a lot of outrage across the state for the radical move of Amul to attack the Nandini brand which is the ‘Kannadigas’ identity, on its own ground. The political leaders, organizations, and the public have expressed opposition and condemned it.

Cooperation Minister ST Somashekhar said, “In case we feel any threat against Nandini, the government will not hesitate to take appropriate action to safeguard the state brand ‘Nandini’. Amul has been selling its products in Karnataka and now they want to introduce milk and curd just like KMF is expanding to sell its dairy products in other states.”Amul MD Jayen Mehta clarified and said that Amul and KMF have good relations. Amul’s presence is in Belagavi and Hubballi for many years now. There is no question of challenging KMF. Seeing customers’ interest and date we have taken this decision to sell milk and curd only through the e-commerce platform. Amul Taaza, Amul Gold and Amul curd will be sold online. ”People have taken and written a pledge not to use ‘Amul’. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. which sells its milk products under the Amul brand is trying to enter the Bengaluru market which is already procured by the Karnataka Milk Federation KMF’s Nandini brand. Speculations are also there that with an artificial shortage of 500 ltrs. of Nandini products are being created just to introduce Amul milk and yogurt in the state and Hubballi. 

Amul is coming to occupy the space of Nandini.On this KMF officials said, “Milk and curd for those who booked online Amul is ready to sell. This will not affect the sale of Nandini’s milk. Amul is supplying milk in Belgaum and Hubballi, but it has not been able to cross this 500 ltrs."  KMF officials said that in its peak season, KMF, on the request of milk cooperatives, supplies roughly 5 lakh ltrs. of milk-to-milk deficit states viz., Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nādu, Goa, Maharashtra, and Kerala. Milk is supplied in bulk quantities and these states sell the milk under their brands.KMF Director Marketing, M.Raghunandan said there is no shortage of milk in Karnataka. The state’s daily requirement of milk is 45 lakh ltr. and curd is 10 lakh ltr. But it continues to acquire nearly 73 lakh ltr. a day. As a cosmopolitan city Bengaluru, the KMF officials are a bit apprehensive about the fact that non-kannadian population might switch to other brands leaving Nandini. For the last couple of years, Amul has been supplying 200 ltrs. Of milk in its area.

It is pertinent to mention that KMF supplies milk collected from milk producers of the state to the state and outside states. KMF is the second-largest milk procurer in the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had proposed the merger of KMF with Amul. Amit Shah’s statement has also been fully opposed. KMF officials say that it is unethical and Amul is breaking the unwritten rule of cooperative societies. Officials further said that according to cooperatives principles, only in the situation of deficit, the market is open for other brands. In Karnataka, there is no deficit of milk.Bengaluru Milk Union President Narasimhamurthy further showed his concern and said that Amul with their false advertising of supplying fresh milk is making a wrong promise to the citizens. Milk from Gujarat will take 2-3 days to arrive in Karnataka and it will be 3-4 days by the time it reaches the customers. Whereas Nandini’s milk that customers get on a daily basis is processed and supplied to them within 24 hrs. after milking. As no cooperative society has been made by Amul in Karnataka that means the brand has to supply milk procured from Gujarat or any other nearby state, he added.