Amul vs Aavin in Tamil Nadu: Stalin tells Amit Shah to rein in Gujarat-dairy from procuring TN milk

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging the latter to give adequate instructions to the stop Amul from procuring milk from Aavin milk sheds.

Chennai:After a full-blown Nandini vs Amul controversy in Karnataka, the Gujarat-based milk-cooperative major has caused flutter in Tamil Nadu by its efforts in setting up chilling stations in several districts of Tamil Nadu prompting Chief Minister MK Stalin to write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the latter's intervention.

Shah who also holds Cooperation portfolio has been asked to rein in Amul to desist harvesting milk from the Tamil Nadu state-backed milk producing union's milk sheds here in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.

Reacting to the development, Congress media in charge Jairam Ramesh said, "First Nandini. Now Aavin. This is all part of the gameplan," in a quote tweet. "Amul is the new 'East India Company' of this regime. New tool for "colonization" (saffronisation) within India (sic)," Rajib Bose a twitter user wrote.

Amul is paying 36 Rs to purchase and higher commission, but it sells at 56 Rs per litre where as Aavin sells at 48 Rs .. Amul can bring out purchased milk from Tn and sell in other states which will likely to cause milk shortage in tamilnadu that will be serious(sic), another twitter user Sundar pointed out in a tweet.

Amul's footprint expansion in TN-Stalin said that he had learnt that the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (Amul) is expanding its footprint in Tamil Nadu. 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, Stalin said.

Non-infringement norm- 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 the 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, the letter read.

Unhealthy competition-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, Stalin pointed out.

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 urging the Union Minister to act in the interest of the dairy farmers from here.