Milk Wars: Minister Chinchurani Credits Congress Govt In Karnataka For KMF's Decision To Put On Hold Nandini's Expansion Plan In Kerala

Karnataka dairy brand Nandini, which recently opened a few outlets in Kerala, has put in abeyance its expansion plan in this southern state after the uproar.

KMF had announced plans to open 25 new stores in Kerala over the next six months, despite opposition from Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma)

Kerala Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Milk Cooperatives J Chinchurani confirmed that she had received information in this regard from the CEO of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which uses the trade name, Nandini.

"Information has been received from the CEO that Nandini will not open new outlets in the state for the time being," the minister told reporters.

Welcoming the KMF's decision, Chinchurani said this shift has come in the wake of a change of government in Karnataka following the victory of the Congress.

Chinchurani remarked earlier that Nandini's products are of poor quality and asked Keralites not to purchase them.

"Milma, the milk cooperative in Kerala, offers the best quality milk in the country," the minister said.

Chinchurani had also said that Kerala was planning to file a complaint with the National Dairy Development Board. She accused Nandini of not seeking permission to open outlets in the state. She also charged Nandini of violating rules by setting up outlets in Mancheri and Tirur in Malappuram district, Kochi in the Ernakulam district, and Pandalam in the Pathanamthitta district.

The ruling CPM-controlled Milma had shot off a strongly-worded letter to its Karnataka counterpart urging it to abandon plans to scale up the presence of the Nandini brand in Kerala.

Milma also said Nandini's proposed foray into Kerala was a serious breach of the cooperative spirit based on which the country's dairy sector has been organised to benefit millions of dairy farmers.

"If they claim to have the right, as a pan-India brand, to sell milk anywhere why did they object to Amul, which is a much bigger brand? Selling milk in places where there is a strong milk cooperative institution is not right even if it is in smaller volumes," said Milma chairman Mani argued.

Congress leader Bhima Naik, who recently replaced BJP's Balachandra Jarkiholi as the new chairman of KMF, is said to have held talks with the Milma.