Amul vs. KMF row: MLC concerned over threat to farmers’ livelihood in Mandya

Dinesh Gooligowda, Congress MLC, has expressed concern over the threat to livelihood of farmers in Mandya if the government permits Amul to market its milk products in Karnataka or merge the Gujarat-based dairy brand with Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).

Dinesh Gooligowda, Congress MLC, has expressed concern over the threat to livelihood of farmers in Mandya if the government permits Amul to market its milk products in Karnataka or merge the Gujarat-based dairy brand with Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).

In a statement here, Mr. Dinesh said a total of one lakh and five thousand families engaged in animal husbandry in Mandya contribute 8.5 lakh litres of milk every day to Mandya Milk Union through 1,277 milk producers’ co-operative unions.

Mr. Dinesh, who has been elected from the local bodies constituencies of Mandya district, said KMF and the co-operation milk unions under it were operating autonomously. Any move to merge KMF with Amul or enter into any sort of understanding with the latter would seriously hit the interests of the farmers, he warned.

Out of the 1,277 milk producers’ co-operative unions, as many as 777 had their own buildings. Apart from more than one lakh families being engaged in generation of milk, the Mandya Milk Union employ 257 permanent employees and 1,057 contract employees, he said.

KMF is not only the pride of Karnataka, but is also an identity of the farmers, he claimed.

KMF not only meets the requirement of milk and milk products of lakhs of people within the State and outside through its brand of Nandini milk products, but was also is the source of livelihood of farmers, helping them pay their children’s fees and meet their other daily expenses.

The sector has also provided employment to thousands of women and also made them economically self-sufficient, Mr. Dinesh said cautioning the State Government against either merging KMF with Amul or allowing the Gujarat-based dairy to market its milk and milk products in Karnataka.