Following news reports that Amul could be preparing to take over Sanchi Diary, a brand used — and loved — by almost every Madhya Pradesh household, speculations have begun doing the rounds that the pan-India dairy giant’s plan could touch off a major row reminiscent of Karnataka’s Nandini matter.
The state government reportedly believes that adopting this model will benefit the state’s dairy farmers. Gulshan Bamra, the principal secretary of the animal husbandry and dairy department, told TOI that the government will soon decide whether to involve Amul in Madhya Pradesh to benefit milk-producing farmers.
Since the beginning of the year, multiple discussions have occurred between the animal husbandry department and Amul. Officials have indicated that Amul is interested in acquiring and merging Sanchi with its operations. However, the government is cautious due to concerns about a situation similar to the Amul vs. Nandini conflict in Karnataka, which escalated into a significant political issue during the state’s assembly polls around the same time last year.
On January 10 this year, CM Mohan Yadav participated in a collaborative meeting between Sanchi and Amul in Ahmedabad. The objective was to facilitate milk procurement from Madhya Pradesh’s dairy farmers and safeguard their interests. During the Ujjain investors’ summit in March, the Madhya Pradesh government aimed to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amul to promote Sanchi. Sanchi, operated by the Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Federation, is one of the most recognised brands in the state. It has diverse products, including dairy items, sweets, and other milk-based products.
