Direct Amul To Desist Milk Procurement From Aavin's Sheds: Stalin Writes To Amit Shah

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to direct Gujarat-based milk cooperative Amul to desist from procurement from milk shed of the state's cooperative Aavin, saying it will create unhealthy competition.

This comes after the Congress accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to strangulate Nandini, Karnataka's milk cooperative, in the run-up to the polls in that state.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin

In a letter to Amit Shah, Stalin said, "I would like to draw your urgent attention to the issues arising out of milk procurement by the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (AMUL) in the Tamil Nadu milk shed area. Till now, AMUL was just selling their products through their outlets in the State."

"In Tamil Nadu, like in other States with strong dairy cooperatives, a three-tier dairy cooperative system is functioning effectively since 1981 for the benefit of the rural milk producers and consumers. Aavin is our apex cooperative marketing federation," read the letter.

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"Under the ambit of Aavin co-operative, 9,673 Milk Producers Co-operative Societies are functioning in rural areas. They procure 35 LLPD of milk from about 4.5 lakh pouring members. Under this current arrangement, 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 health care and breeding services for animals of milk producers," it added.

"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 requirement of consumers," Stalin said in the letter.

"Recently, it has come to our notice that the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Amul), has utilised their multi-state cooperative license, to install chilling centres and a processing plant in Krishnagiri District and has planned to procure milk through FPOs and SHGs in and around Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts in our State," he further said.

"It has been a norm in India to let cooperatives thrive without infringing on each other's milk-shed area. Such cross-procurement goes against the spirit of 'Operation White Flood' and will exacerbate problems for consumers given the prevailing milk shortage scenario in the country. This act of AMUL infringes on Aavin's milk shed area which has been nurtured in true cooperative spirit over decades," observed the Tamil Nadu chief minister.

"This move by AMUL will create unhealthy competition between cooperatives engaged in procuring and marketing milk and milk products. 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," he added.

"Therefore, I request your urgent intervention to direct Amul to desist from milk procurement from the milk shed area of Aavin in Tamil Nadu with immediate effect," the letter read.

Story first published: Thursday, May 25, 2023, 14:51 [IST]