Keeping Turf War Aside, Kerala Seeks Help from AP, Karnataka as Demand for Milk Rises During Onam

Festivals are celebrations where differences are set aside and territorial lines are blur.

With the onset of Onam, one of Kerala’s most popular harvest festivals, the demand for milk and curd has surged by over 16%. Now, the southern state is seeking assistance from its neighbours — Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra—to help make up for the deficit.

Until a few months ago, a milk-turf war was brewing between Karnataka’s Nandini, Kerala’s Milma, and Tamil Nadu’s Aavin. The three brands were at loggerheads over milk outlets encroaching on each other’s regions.

Karnataka’s dairy brand Nandini has received a request from the Kerala government to supply milk for over 10 days. “We have received a request from the Kerala government to provide 14 lakh 80 thousand litres of milk for over 10 days. We have already started supplying it,” MK Jagdish, Managing Director, Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), told News18.

The high demand for milk and curd during Onam has forced Milma to resume milk procurement from Karnataka after a year-long hiatus. The cooperative has decided to procure them in batches for the next 10 days.

Kerala has allocated Rs 45 crore to procure milk from Karnataka (14.8 lakh litres), Maharashtra (55 lakh litres), and Andhra Pradesh (30 lakh litres) over 10 days.

“We are expecting a 12% rise in milk and a 16% increase in curd sales during Onam. We have ensured an abundant supply of milk, curd, ghee, and other products during the festival,” Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF) chairman KS Mani told media.

According to Milma, the demand is expected to be much higher this time as the pandemic has curtailed most of the celebrations. This time, people are looking to celebrate Onam with much fanfare.

The milk war between the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat began when cross-marketing between their milk cooperatives such as Amul, Nandini, and Milma forced the respective state governments to warn the others to stay off their turf.

They locked horns with each other over the issues of milk procurement from farmers, distribution, and sales. Inter-state tensions came to the fore with the entry of other brands, which were opposed on the grounds of sub-national pride—be it the Amul versus Nandini issue in Karnataka, Aavin versus Amul in Tamil Nadu, or Nandini versus Milma in Kerala.