RS Sodhi, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), popularly known by the brand name Amul, on Sunday took to Twitter to explain how the free market has helped the dairy farmers prosper.
Where as contribution of agriculture to national GDP declining , Milk contribution increasing every year and so is the share of milk in farmers income , thanks to freedom to sell anyone , @Amul_Coop @PMOIndia @girirajsinghbjp @PiyushGoyal https://t.co/WVHGrG8LGd
— R S Sodhi (@Rssamul) September 27, 2020
Responding to PM Modi’s Mann Ki Baat on the farm bills, Sodhi said how milk as an agriculture produce is worth Rs 8 lakh crore, which is more than the combined value of wheat, paddy and sugarcane. He added that the dairy farmers whether or not they are associated with the GCMMF are free to sell their produce anywhere and buyers are free to buy it from anywhere. The competition for milk as a product is there even at village level.
He further added that while agriculture’s contribution to the GDP has been declining, milk’s contribution has been rising steadily. Along with the increase of milk’s contribution to GDP, there has also been a rise in farmers’ income because of this freedom to sell the produce anywhere they wish.
He added that while Amul may have a huge market share, dairy is an industry where 100% FDI is allowed. International players like Nestle and Unilever are already in India with their products.
You can read more about the recent agriculture Bills passed by the Parliament which got President’s assent here.