Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns and markets Amul brand of milk and milk products, announced a record sales turnover of Rs 8,005 crore on Wednesday. Financial results of the apex body of the dairy cooperatives in Gujarat were declared in its 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today.
Commenting on the results, Parthi G. Bhatol, chairman, GCMMF said, “Last year, the turnover was Rs 6,711 crore. However, GCMMF has registered a growth of 19.3 per cent to reach Rs 8,005 crore. This is an impressive growth when viewed from the perspective of drought effect and resultant drop in milk procurement as well as 27.7 per cent growth that we achieved in the year 2008-09,” Bhatol commented.
Of its various products, the federation saw a sales growth of 46 per cent in Masti Dahi, ice-cream sales rose by 22 per cent, Amul Cheese sales increased by 20 per cent while fresh cream registered a growth of 39 per cent. GCMMF’s Ultra high temperature (UHT) milk also grew strongly at 14 per cent along with beverage and chocolate sales which grew by 25 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.
“The federation has justified its undisputed leadership in milk business by achieving sales growth in pouch milk category by more than 21 per cent and in value terms by 32 per cent from existing markets only. We have achieved number one status in pouch milk sales in Delhi this year. With this achievement, Amul milk has emerged as the largest selling brand of milk in all major metro markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad,” Bhatol added.
Talking about Amul’s retail experiment, Bhatol informed that GCMMF has created 5,000 Amul preferred outlets which exclusively sell a range of Amul products, wherein about 2,000 of these parlours were added during the current year as part of expansion. “The retail business alone fetched a turnover of Rs 300 crore during the current financial year. Add to that, we have been able to maintain and strengthen our presence in consumer pack export markets. This year too we have crossed a mark of Rs 100 crore in foreign exchange earnings. We have been able to achieve this figure for the fifth time by now,” Bhatol added.
By 2020, GCMMF intends to achieve a projected sales turnover of Rs 27,000 crore for which the federation plans to invest about Rs 2,600 crore. “All of the associated dairies have started activities to achieve the planned targets,” said Bhatol.
While GCMMF’s Kaira Union has commissioned a state of the art paneer plant as well as a whey drying plant, the federation’s Sabarkantha Union too is in process of commissioning a similar paneer plant. “Our Mehsana Union has expanded capacity to one million litres per day at its dairy at Manesar near Delhi. Banaskantha Union too has embarked on installing new powder plant and cattle-feed plant which shall be commissioned soon. New cattlefeed plants are being put up by Mehsana and Valsad unions as well,” Bhatol added.