Kaira milkmen to launch Amul in city

Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Limited (KDCMPUL), the oldest and largest milk producing union under the umbrella of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), would soon enter the Kolkata with its liquid milk brand Amul.

KDCMPUL plans to acquire and set up a milk processing and packaging facility at Kolkata to start its operations by the end of the current year.

"We want to start our operations in Kolkata and other major cities as well to enhance the liquid milk market and to get better prices for the farmers of our union. We are also planning to set up or acquire a milk processing and packaging facility in Kolkata by the end of this year," Rahul Kumar Shrivastav, managing director, Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Limited told Business Standard.

Interestingly, in Kolkata, Mother Dairy is the largest selling liquid milk brand and being marketed under aegis of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Kolkata was a large milk market with a high level of value addition thanks to the huge local sweetmeat industry. The West Bengal state government had its own liquid milk supply unit and dairy plant at Haringhata.

KDCMPUL was chalking out plans for the Kolkata market. The liquid milk will be transported to Kolkata by the railway tankers from Anand. The milk would be processed and packed in Kolkata and distributed through GCMMF's marketing network.

KDCMPUL flagged off a milk processing and packing facility near Pune in Maharashtra. The capacity of the Pune plant would be raised to over 50,000 litres per day in the next two months.

In the Pune market, it was competing against regional players. Other milk products like flavoured milk and curd would be launched.

When asked about competition from the Mother Dairy brand in Kolkata, Shrivastav said, "Amul has proved that we are capable of beating any competition in any market and the same is applicable to Kolkata market."

KDCMPUL sales in financial year 2003-2004 touched Rs 546 crore, Rs 52 crore more than financial year 2002-2003.

The body was working to linking dairy societies with its headquarters at Anand through an enlarged network using information technology and computerised online data transmission.