MK Stalin asks Amit Shah to order Amul to stop buying milk in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order Gujarat-based dairy giant Amul to stop buying milk from the southern state with immediate effect. Writing to Shah, Stalin drew the Center’s attention to problems arising from the procurement of milk by the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers Union (Amul) in the milk shed area of ​​Tamil Nadu. The state government recently learned that Amul has used its multi-state cooperative license to set up cooling centers and a processing plant in Krishnagiri district, Stalin said. In addition, Amul has planned to procure milk through FPO and SHG in and around Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupatur, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts in Tamil Nadu.

“It has been the norm in India to allow cooperatives to prosper without infringing on the area of ​​each other’s milk sheds. Such cross-buying goes against the spirit of ‘Operation White Flood’ and will exacerbate problems for consumers given the “Milk shortage scenario prevailing in the country. This AMUL law infringes on the Aavin (TN Milk Farmers Cooperative Federation) milk shed area which has been nurtured with a true cooperative spirit for decades.”

This movement by AMUL will create unhealthy competition among the cooperatives dedicated to the acquisition and commercialization of milk and dairy products. “Regional cooperatives have been the foundation of dairy development in the states and are better placed to engage and nurture producers and protect consumers from arbitrary price increases. I therefore request your urgent intervention to order Amul to desist from purchasing milk from the dairy”. throw out the Aavin area of ​​Tamil Nadu with immediate effect,” said the Chief Minister.

As background on the matter, Stalin said that until now, Amul only sold its products in Tamil Nadu through its outlets. In Tamil Nadu, as in other states with strong dairy cooperatives, a three-tier dairy cooperative system has been operating effectively since 1981 for the benefit of rural milk producers and consumers, Stalin said.

“Aavin is our main cooperative marketing federation. Under the umbrella of Aavin cooperative, 9673 Milk Producers Cooperative Societies are operating in rural areas. They procure 35 LLPD of milk from approximately 4.5 lakh pouring members. Under this arrangement Today, milk cooperative societies assure producers remunerative and uniform prices throughout the year”.

In order to increase and maintain milk production in Tamil Nadu, Aavin also provides various inputs such as cattle feed, fodder, mineral mix, animal health care and husbandry services for the dairy farmers’ animals. In addition, it ensures the supply of quality milk and dairy products to consumers at one of the lowest prices in our country. Therefore, Aavin plays a vital role in improving the livelihoods of rural dairy farmers and meeting the nutritional requirements of consumers, he said.