Milk war: K'taka decides against expanding Nandini stores in Kerala

Bengaluru: The Vijayan government vigorously objected to the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) expanding Nandini stores in neighbouring Kerala, sources stated on Wednesday.

Following discussions between KMF CEO and Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development J. Chinchu Rani, the decision was finalised.

Nandini milk and milk related products are sold in huge quantities across Kerala. The brand is popular, especially in the bordering districts of Karnataka such as Kasargod.

However, the decision has left a large number of Kannada people, who live in Kerala border regions, disappointed. The decision has been taken as per the directions of the newly elected Congress government in Karnataka.

Earlier, Kerala had objected to the sale of milk, curd and other dairy products by the Karnataka Milk Federation run by the Karnataka government. The neighbouring state complained of the Kerala Milk Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF) brand Milma being affected by the sale of Nandini products.

The Congress and JD (S) in Karnataka had earlier strongly opposed the move of the previous BJP government to allow sale of Amul milk and curd in Karnataka.

The issue was raised during the Assembly elections and then the BJP government had to clarify the matter. It was also alleged that the then BJP government was conspiring to merge Nandini with Amul.

KCMMF had questioned that if Nandini sells its milk in Kerala, what will happen to the milk which is produced and sold to Milma by the Kerala farmers. It had also objected that Karnataka had violated the cooperative framework of the national dairy sector.

With inputs from IANS