Kerala Govt to Oppose Karnataka’s Nandini Milk Coming into State

The Kerala Local Development Fund government on Sunday said it was concerned about the entry of famous Karnataka brand Nandini milk and milk products, and assured that it would strongly oppose the move.

State Minister for Livestock, Dairy Development and Dairy Cooperatives G. Chinchorani said Kerala had lodged a complaint with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to resolve the issue.

“Any further steps will we take after NDDB holds discussions with Nandini,” the minister told a TV channel.

She said the state government expects Nandini to withdraw its decision to sell milk and dairy products in Kerala after the centre’s intervention in the matter.

The minister said that both Nandini, the brand name used by the Karnataka Milk Marketing Federation (KMMF), and Milma of the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF) are government-run organizations and therefore, when going to another state, permission from That state was taken.

On the issue of Nandini’s milk being sold at much lower rates, about 7 rupees less, than Milma, the minister said that was not possible.

She said that earlier when Kerala had a shortage of milk, Nandini milk was sold here with the permission of Karnataka government and at that time its prices were not low.

Asked about the position of the dairy farmers on the issue, the minister said that many have approached the government and said that only Milma should work in Kerala.

Chinchurani also dismissed any possibility of Nandini collecting milk from dairy farmers in Kerala, saying that there were enough dairy organizations operating under cooperative law in the state supplying milk to Milma.

She added, “Moreover, we help dairy farmers, through subsidies and increase the price of milk when needed, and we have many other beneficial schemes in the future.”

In April of last year, the KCMMF called the tendency of some state milk marketing associations to forcefully enter markets outside their states as an “unethical” trend.

He was critical of KMMF’s move to open outlets in parts of Kerala to sell its Nandini brand of milk and other products.

Melma said, at the time, that this was a complete violation of the cooperative spirit upon which the country’s dairy sector was organized for the benefit of millions of dairy farmers.

She added that such practices from any side would threaten the spirit of cooperative principles that she had long nurtured by mutual consent and goodwill. PTI HMP HDA

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(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)