A major controversy erupted over the alleged adulteration of animal fat and other substances in the famous laddus (prasadam). This situation has caused widespread concern among devotees. This incident raised significant concerns among devotees in Andhra Pradesh and beyond. This issue created havoc among crores of devotees across the country. The scandal raised concerns about food safety and quality. Devotees were left anxious and demanding accountability. In the wake of this uproar, the focus shifted to the reputed Nandini brand ghee. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu decided to replace it.
In fact, the TTD has been using `Nandini’ brand ghee for several decades. The YS Jaganmohan Reddy government allegedly canceled agreements with the Karnataka government-owned Nandini brand. They sought large-scale commissions in the process. Instead, the government ordered supplies from private dairy companies. These companies lacked the necessary quality assurance.
Chandrababu Naidu-led state government publicly released a lab report confirming the adulteration in the laddus. In response, the government has replaced the company supplying ghee for the laddus and blacklisted the supplier. Immediately, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) placed an order with the Nandini brand for preparing the laddus. The first batch of supplies has already reached TTD. This swift action ensured the continuation of the prasadam offering.
Just as brands like Amul and Mother Dairy are well-known in North India, Nandini holds a similar reputation in South Indian households. It has become a trusted choice for many families in the region. ‘Nandini’ is the largest dairy brand in Karnataka and has a significant presence in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Goa.
The Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers Federation Limited (KMF) owns the Nandini brand, making it the second-largest dairy cooperative federation in India, following the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which produces Amul. In 1955, pioneers established the first cooperative dairy in Karnataka in the Kodagu district.
At that time, packaged milk was not very common and farmers delivered milk directly to homes. By the 1970s, the government and dairy farmers implemented efforts to increase milk production, leading to the birth of the ‘White Revolution’ in India. Around this time, the World Bank introduced several schemes for dairy development.
In 1974, the Karnataka government launched the Karnataka Dairy Development Corporation (KDCC) to implement the World Bank’s dairy projects in the state. A decade later, in 1984, the organization renamed itself the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
Around the same time, the company introduced milk and other products under the ‘Nandini’ brand, which quickly became Karnataka’s most popular dairy brand and expanded its reach into neighbouring states. Amul and Nandini are direct competitors.
Political parties in Karnataka accused Amul of “North Indian infiltration into the South.” The Amul Vs Nandini debate even became a key issue in the Karnataka Assembly elections. The Karnataka Milk Federation claimed that there has always been an “unwritten agreement” between cooperative societies not to enter each other’s markets unless the local supplier is unable to meet the demand.
