CM Stalin urges Amit Shah to direct Amul to stop procuring milk from Tamil Nadu

As in some other states, dairy cooperatives in Tamil Nadu have been functioning effectively since 1981 benefiting both rural milk producers and consumers and Aavin has been their apex cooperative marketing federation, Stalin wrote. “This act of Amul infringes on Aavin’s milk-shed area, which has been nurtured in true cooperative spirit over decades. This will create unhealthy competition between cooperatives engaged in procuring and marketing milk and milk products,” he wrote.

Regional cooperatives have been the bedrock of dairy development in the states and they are better placed to engage and nurture producers and to cushion consumers from arbitrary price hikes, Stalin further wrote. He urged the Union minister to intervene and direct Amul to immediately desist from procuring milk from Aavin’s milk-shed area in Tamil Nadu.

The decision of AMUL to operate in Tamil Nadu is unfortunate, detrimental to the interest of Aavin and will create unhealthy competition between the cooperatives.

Regional cooperatives have been the bedrock of dairy development in the states and are better placed to engage and… pic.twitter.com/yn2pKINofO

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 25, 2023

Earlier, Amul had run into opposition when it tried to foray into Karnataka ahead of the Assembly elections. Opposition leaders and pro-Kannada groups criticised the BJP government for allowing the Gujarat cooperative to sell its products in Bengaluru. They feared the move could spell trouble for Nandini, the state’s milk brand.

The chief minister also wrote that Amul had used its multi-state cooperative licence to install chilling centres and a processing plant in Krishnagiri district and was planning to procure milk through farmer producer organisations and self-help groups in and around Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts.

Under the Aavin cooperative, about 9,673 milk producers cooperative societies are functioning in rural areas and they procure 35 lakh litres per day of milk from about 4.5 lakh members, Stalin wrote, adding that the milk producers are assured of remunerative and uniform prices throughout the year by the cooperative societies.

“To increase and sustain milk production in Tamil Nadu, Aavin also provides various inputs such as cattle feed, fodder, mineral mixture, animal healthcare and breeding services for animals of milk producers. In addition, it ensures the supply of quality milk and milk products to consumers at one of the lowest prices in our country. Thus, Aavin plays a vital role in improving the livelihood of rural milk producers and meeting the nutritional requirements of consumers,” Stalin wrote.