Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the apex organisation of dairy cooperative unions in Gujarat which markets dairy products under the ‘Amul’ brand, to strive to become the world’s largest dairy organisation.
With an annual group turnover of Rs. 72,000 crore, GCMMF is the 8th largest dairy organisation in the world. Amul is the largest farmer-owned dairy brand globally, with its products being exported to more than 50 countries.
Addressing more than 1 lakh dairy farmers from across the state at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of GCMMF, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the seed sown by Gujarat’s dairy farmers 50 years ago has transformed into a giant tree with branches spread across the country and the world.
“Amul is the world’s eighth largest dairy company. You should aspire to make it the world’s largest dairy organisation. You will have the full support of the government,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
The Prime Minister said that while the dairy sector is growing at only 2% globally, the growth is 6% in India. He noted that milk production in the country has gone up by 60% in the last 10 years while the per capita milk availability has increased by 40%. He also said that the dairy sector has a key role to play in meeting the rising nutrition needs of the growing population.
The Prime Minister said that after India’s independence, many brands were created but none have been like Amul. He described Amul as a symbol of the efforts of dairy farmers, cooperation and an inspiration for Atmanirbharat Bharat.
“An organisation of small farmers is doing big things. This is the power of unity and cooperation. Amul is an example of how decisions taken with a long-term vision benefit the future generations,” he said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the role of women in the growth of the Rs. 10 lakh crore dairy cooperative sector and reiterated his government’s commitment to financially empowering women. He also inaugurated multiple dairy projects of GCMMF’s five district unions of more than Rs. 1000 crore.
In his address, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the dairy cooperative sector has emerged as a model of growth. The number of milk unions in the state has doubled from 12 to 23 in the last 20 years. India is poised to become the dairy to the world in the Amrit Kaal.”
The chief minister also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure has been of Perform, Reform and Transform.
Union Minister of Fishing, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala, Governor Acharya Devvrat, Lok Sabha MP CR Patil, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, Gujarat Assembly Deputy Speaker Jethabhai Ahir, and Minister of State for Cooperation & Industries Jagdish Vishwakarma also graced the occasion.
GCMMF came into existence on July 9, 1973, when six dairy cooperatives came together under the leadership of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the Milkman of India, to market milk and milk products under the brand name Amul. At present, GCMMF has 18 member unions with more than 36 lakh farmers across 18,600 villages in Gujarat. The Federation’s member dairies procure more than 300 lakh litres of milk per day.
In the last 50 years, GCMMF has been successful in standing true to the principle of being a bridge between dairy farmers and consumers and has played a critical role in making India the world’s largest milk producer, accounting for 24% of global milk production.
