Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) on Saturday announced the launch of its first organic staple product, Amul Organic Whole Wheat Atta, nearly six months after Union Minister for Cooperation Amit Shah urged Amul to begin marketing organic agri products.
GCMMF, an Amul marketer, has also announced the launch of an organic product portfolio that includes moong dal, tur dal, chana dal, and basmati rice.
Amit Shah, Union Minister for Cooperation, had said at the inauguration of an AmulFed plant in Gandhinagar in November last year, "It is necessary to accelerate the adoption of organic products... I strongly urge Amul Federation management to create infrastructure for organic testing, distribution, and marketing... I am confident that Amul can do it."
Amit Shah has asked Amul to take organic product marketing initiatives. Amul announced the start of production of Amul Organic Atta on Saturday at the Tribhuvan Das Patel Mogar Food Complex near Anand, a state-of-the-art processing facility. Amul chocolates, Amul cookies, and other Amul products are processed at the plant, which is equipped with highly automated and advanced machinery.
GCMMF's Managing Director, R S Sodhi, stated, "On the sourcing front, Amul is building a pool of organic/prakrutik farmers in order to replicate their existing milk sourcing model in organic sourcing. This will boost organic farmers' incomes and help to democratize the organic/prakrutik food industry as a whole."
"The current major challenge for farmers is the lack of market linkage for organic products and the high cost of organic testing facilities," he said, adding that the dairy giant will also set up organic testing laboratories in five locations across India equipped with advanced technologies to reduce testing costs.
"The first lab is being established at the Amul Fed Dairy in Ahmedabad, and the remaining five labs will be established at various locations across India," he said.
Amul Organic Atta, which is available in two pack sizes of 1 kg at MRP of Rs 60 and 5 kg at MRP of Rs 290, is made from 100% certified organic wheat that is pesticide-free, according to Amul.
The product is subjected to extensive laboratory testing to ensure that it meets the Government of India's organic standards. According to the company, Amul Organic Atta is certified by a reputable certifying agency that is accredited by APEDA.
According to an Amul statement, the entire supply chain is organically certified, from the farms to the processing facility and trading organizations.
Amul Organic Atta will be available in Amul Parlours and retail stores throughout Gujarat beginning in the first week of June. From June onwards, Amul Organic Atta can be ordered online at amulorganic.org for home delivery across Gujarat, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Pune.
