Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has declined the request from the Congress and Janata Dal (S) to block Amul products from entering the state. CM Bommai said that the government would instead focus on providing aid to the KMF’s Nandini brand, to ensure it can compete in the open market. Bommai also showed his confidence in the Nandini brand, stating it will be the number one dairy brand in the country.
The rejection of the idea by Bommai to block Amul has made the issue a political one ahead of the May 10 assembly polls. The former CM, Siddaramaiah, even urged all Kannadigas to pledge not to buy Amul products.
This decision by CM Bommai has gained affirmative remarks by the health minister K. Sudhakar, who stated that despite competition from the 18 other state and private dairy brands, the Nandini brand has sustained its popularity in Karnataka due to the help of the BJP government.
Amul, who is regarded as the world’s largest food processing organisation in the dairy sector, is owned by the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited. This company was formed by Dr. Verghese Kurien in the year 1946, and its success has made it one of the most profitable companies in the world. Its meteoric rise in the market is one of the major reasons why Opposition Congress and JD(S) are so adamant on blocking the entry of Amul in the state.
