No competition with Karnataka's Nandini, says Amul chief Jayen Mehta

Amid the political over Gujarat dairy brand's Bengaluru foray, MD Jayen Mehta said it's been wrongly portrayed as Amul is working against Nandini. He added that it's never been Amul vs Nandini, it's always been Amul and Nandini together.

Jayen Mehta asserted that there cannot be "Amul versus Nandini" scenario as both are co-operatives owned by farmers. GCMMF will sell its Amul products only through e-commerce platforms and there is absolutely no plan of full-fledge entry into Karnataka, he told PTI.

According to him, Amul has been selling fresh milk in two districts of north Karnataka since 2015-16, but "there is no competition" as Karnataka Milk Federation's (KMF) Nandini milk is much cheaper than Amul because of the subsidy being provided by the state government. Amul milk is Rs 54 per litre while Nandini milk is Rs 39 per litre only as the state government provides subsidy to farmers, he added.

What is the Amul Vs Nandini battle?

Amul's announcement on April 5 to enter enter the Karnataka market to supply its milk and curd has given the opposition yet another ammunition to fire at the ruling BJP, much as it came months after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement that the two brands' cooperation could "do wonders" for the dairy sector. Shah also holds the Cooperation portfolio.

The opposition Congress and the JD(S) have trained their guns at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state when the assembly elections are just a month away, expressing fears that Nandini, the Rs 21,000 crore brand, from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), could be merged with the Gujarat-based Amul. The people of the state have an emotional connect with Nandini.

The opposition alleges that the BJP wants to merge the 49-year-old KMC's Nandini with its much elder Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL) so that there could be "One nation, one Amul" in the country. The BJP has emphatically rejected the charge.

AICC general secretary and Karnataka party in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged the BJP was trying to "sell off" Nandini.

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy too flayed the state government on this issue.

Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command, alleged Amul has this 'bad thinking' to finish off its lone competitor Nandini in Karnataka itself.

The BJP led central government's official policy is "One Nation, One Amul, One Milk and One Gujarat," he said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government is clear on the issue of Amul. Accusing Congress of politicising Amul's entry to Karnataka, Bommai said: "We have absolute clarity with regard to Amul. Nandini is a national brand. It is not restricted to Karnataka. We have popularised Nandini as a brand in other states as well." The Chief Minister stressed that several major dairies of KMF in the state have been established during BJP rule.

While a litre of Nandini's toned milk costs Rs 39, the same quantity of Amul is priced at Rs 52.