Why Amul brand is facing backlash from opposition, locals in K’taka? Explained

The backslash for Amul comes as the state has its local brand KMF which sells milk and curd in the State under the brand name of Nandini. After the Amul’s announcement, hastags like #Savenandini #GobackAmul started trending on Twitter. Some reports state that KMF is the second-largest milk procurer in the country.

Amul on the ongoing controversy

Jayen Mehta, managing director (MD) of GCMMF told Financial Express that he was aware of the Twitter storm over the brand’s announcement on entry in Karnataka. He further added that the brand is currently looking at e-commerce/quick commerce channels and not looking at general trade. “For general trade, we will need to bring down price points. There is no such plan currently. And a modern trade entry of Amul in Bengaluru will happen only six months later,” he said as quoted by Financial Express.

Bengaluru Hotels Association support Nandini

In a protest against the Amul milk, the hotels in Bengaluru city will be using only Nandini brand. Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association, President PC Rao told Bengaluru Mirror that all hotels in Bengaluru has unanimously decided to use only Nandini products to support local farmers.

Politics around Amul vs Nandini

Congress and BJP are at loggerheads after Amul’s announcement of entry in the Bengaluru market. Congress has accused the ruling BJP of plotting a conspiracy to kill the state’s formidable dairy brand, Nandini,

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government is clear on the issue of Amul. Accusing Congress of politicising Amul’s entry to Karnataka, Bommai said: “We have absolute clarity with regard to Amul. Nandini is a national brand. It’s not restricted to Karnataka. We have popularised Nandini as a brand in other states as well.” He added that not only has milk production increased in the state but incentives have also been given to the milk producers.

Also Read: Prices of dairy products likely to remain firm on higher demand

State Health Minister K Sudhakar also hit out at Congress and said, “Nandini products are sold in other states and countries too and our Nandini brand is capable of facing any competition. Congress is doing politics in everything and shedding crocodile tears for farmers.”

While speaking to reporters, Sudhakar said that Nandini products are the pride of the state. Slamming the previous government, he added that it is only the BJP that supported the local farmers and the brand. “Former CM BS Yeddyurappa for the first time gave a subsidy of ₹2 per litre to farmers. Now that is increased to ₹5. If any government has supported our farmers and Nandini the most it is the BJP government.”

He further added that not just Amul, but already 16 to 18 different private and public sector brands are selling their milk products in the state, but Nandini, due to its high quality, remains the most preferred brand in the market. “So to say that Amul is a threat to Nandini is an insult to our homegrown brand,” he added.

Opposition on BJP’s attempt to kill the local brand Nandini

The opposition has said that the BJP is determined to destroy Nandini KMF, a brand built by the farmers.

On 8 April, Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah called on the people and said that “all Kannadigas should pledge not to buy Amul products” over speculations of a merger between the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) and Gujarat’s Anand Milk Union Limited. During Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Mandya in December 2022 where he inaugurated a mega dairy of KMF with a capacity to process 10 lakh litres a day at a cost of ₹260 crore, the opposition had targeted him for his purported remark that Nandini and Amul should come together. The opposition alleged that the statement meant that the two cooperative brands should be merged together, which Chief Minister Bommai and state Cooperative Minister S T Somashekar rubbished.

He further stated, “In addition to language treason by the imposition of Hindi and land treason by trespassing within the state borders, now the BJP government is going to betray the farmers by shutting down Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which is the livelihood of millions of dairy farming families in the country.”

“Banks built by our elders in Karnataka were eaten up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah have hatched a plan to adopt Nandini, who is now a Sanjeevini of the farmers. Watch out mirrors…!! The state’s dairy industry has been rocked ever since Amit Shah, who is also the Union Cooperation Minister, proposed the merger of KMF and Amul. Amul is entering through the back door in the face of strong Kannadigas opposition to the merger proposal”, Siddaramaiah added.

He also alleged that Nandini milk and yoghurt have also been disappearing in the state for the past few days whereas the sales of Amul products have started with a bang. “Gujarat-based Amul had earlier tried to enter the Karnataka market by selling milk and yoghurt. We did not allow it. Now the BJP has extended a red carpet welcome.”

Giving an estimate and questioning a conspiracy against KMF, the former CM said that where 99 lakh litres of milk should be collected per day, only 71 lakh litres of milk is being collected. Is this a conspiracy against KMF?”

Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar stated that Nandini was a “better” brand than Amul. While speaking to ANI, he said, “We want to protect our milk and our farmers. We already have Nandini which is a better brand than Amul…We don’t need any Amul…our water, our milk, and our soil is strong.”

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy too flayed the state government on this issue in a series of tweets. “Now there is a 3rd plot to finish the lifeline of Kannadigas Nandini. Plot-1: Merger of Nandini with Amul; Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement. Plot-2: Print the Hindi word ‘Dahi’ on curd.” “Both plots failed due to strong opposition from Kannadigas. The central government through Amul is going to make the 3rd plot successful,” he said.

Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command, alleged that Amul has this ‘bad thinking’ to finish off its lone competitor Nandini in Karnataka itself.

“One nation, one Amul, one milk and one Gujarat’ has become the official policy of the Central government. Hence, Amul is strangulating KMF by standing in its support,” Kumaraswamy charged.

Earlier, AICC general secretary and Karnataka party in-charge Randeep Surjewala also raised the issue alleging that the BJP was trying to “sell off” Nandini.

While citing a local news paper, Surjewala tweeted, “BJP conspiracy to sell off Karnataka Milk Federation to Gujarat’s Amul is now clear. 1st, Mr. Amit Shah said it openly. Now, Ms. Shobha Karandlje supports it. NANDINI LOSES, AMUL GAINS, BOMMAI GOVT REMAINS ‘MUTE’ ! Save NANDINI, Vote BJP out !”