Chennai: Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, MK Stalin, has called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to instruct Amul, the Gujarat-based dairy giant, to immediately halt milk procurement in the southern state.
In a letter to Shah, Stalin raised concerns about the issues arising from the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Amul) procuring milk in the Tamil Nadu milk shed area.
The state government recently discovered that Amul, utilizing its multi-state cooperative license, has established chilling centres and a processing plant in the Krishnagiri district. Additionally, Amul intends to procure milk through Farmers' Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in and around several districts in Tamil Nadu, including Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur.
Stalin emphasized that it has been customary in India to allow cooperatives to operate without encroaching upon each other's milkshed areas. Cross-procurement of this nature contradicts the principles of 'Operation White Flood' and will compound the problems for consumers, considering the current milk shortage situation in the country.
Amul's actions infringe upon the milk shed area of Aavin (TN Co-operative Milk Producers Federation), which has been nurtured through genuine cooperative efforts over several decades.
This move by Amul is expected to generate unhealthy competition among cooperatives involved in milk procurement and marketing, further exacerbating the issue.
"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.
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 Chief Minister said.
Providing a backgrounder to the matter, Stalin said till now, Amul was only selling their products in Tamil Nadu through their outlets.
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, Stalin said.
"Aavin is our apex cooperative marketing federation. 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, milk producers are assured of remunerative and uniform prices throughout the year by the cooperative societies."
In order 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.
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, he said.
With PTI inputs