Nandini brand cannot be erased, no proposal to merge with Amul, says Karnataka minister

BENGALURU: Cooperation minister S T Somashekar on Sunday said that there is no power which can erase the Nandini brand, which has a strong foundation in Karnataka, and that there is no proposal to merge it with Amul.
Responding to questions over the entry of Amul into Karnataka market with its online sales initiative to supply 1 litre of milk at Rs 57 per litre, Somashekar said the Karnataka Milk Federation is ready to supply the same 1-litre milk at Rs 39 per litre.

“All 15 milk unions under the KMF are in profit and do not require any support. The Nandini brand is renowned around the world. When Union cooperation minister Amit Shah came to Mandya, he suggested that Nandini take the assistance of Amul for market expansion and technology usage. There is no proposal to merge the two brands,” Somashekar said.

The minister said there was a thinking on using the Gujarat model to strengthen the Nandini brand.

Citing that Nandini is procuring milk from as many as 25 to 26 lakh dairy farmers in the state, Somashekar said there was no intent to create artificial scarcity in milk production.
Karnataka cannot be too protectionist: Tharoor
While expressing his solidarity with the Nandini brand milk producers and manufacturers in Karnataka, former Union minister and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said that Nandini cannot be “too protectionist”.
“In fact, I would say it would be better if Nandini exported to more states in the country. Karnataka cannot be too protectionist as it would not be good for our national economy,” Tharoor said.
He, however, immediately added that the concerns of the milk producer in the state also could not be ignored and that there needs to be a via media to address it.
“Unfortunately, the state government is squirming to address the issue and they need to address it by taking it forward,” he added.