Steering up the ongoing milk row in Karnataka, now Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), known by the brand of Milma is now objecting Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF)’s Nandini to enter the state. Karnataka’s own dairy brand Nandini expanded to Kerala as it opened two outlets in the southern state. The move was broadly criticised from the local cooperative milk marketing federation.
This move comes in a time when there is an ongoing controversy of Amul being stopped in Karnataka fearing that the brand will affect the sale of the in-house brand Nandini, a brand which is built by farmers.
The KCMMF has slammed the move saying that it is concerned over the tendency of some state milk marketing federations to ‘aggressively enter markets outside their respective states”. Kerala’s own local brand Milma’s chairman KS Mani called out the practice saying its ‘unethical’. Initially, Nandini was sold only as a value added products, then started selling milk also and subsequently begin shop-to-shop distribution.
Mani said, “The move of Amul (Gujarat Milk Co-operative Federation) to promote its staple products in Karnataka has been met with strong resistance from the stake-holders in that state. But Karnataka Milk Marketing Federation recently opened its outlets in parts of Kerala to sell its Nandini brand of milk and other products. How could this be justified? Whoever does this, it is a highly unethical practice which defeats the very purpose of India's dairy movement and harms the interests of the farmers."
Slamming the Karnataka Milk Federation for opening its outlets in parts of Kerala, Milma said that this move is a complete breach of cooperative spirit based on which country’s dairy sector has been organised for the benefit of the dairy farmers. He also cited an agreement stating that cross-border milk marketing amounts to "blatant encroachment of the sale area of the respective state".
