What Happened After Tirupati Board Halted Orders For Nandini Ghee? Karnataka Milk Federation Said...

As devotees outrage over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati Laddus, the maker of Nandini ghee – Karnataka Milk Federation – has come out explaining what happened to its contract with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which allowed a new entrant to supply ghee to the temple, which has now led to the allegation of animal fat being used.

In 2023, the KMF argued that it was selling ghee at Rs 400 per kg and was not able to sell it at low rates that other companies were offering to the TTD, thereby, deciding to not take part in the tender. Back then, the KMF had said that it can’t compromise on quality and reducing the rates would cause loss to the federation that has to serve the interest of farmers. It’s only in the last one month that the KMF has started to supply Nandini ghee to Tirupati.

Speaking exclusively to News18, Bheema Naik, Chairman of the KMF, said, “After the new government came to power, TTD members did a press meet raising questions on why ghee from other brands was purchased, keeping Nandini out of it. What’s the intent? They had written to us and we have again started providing ghee. We have become the lowest bidder for providing 3.5 lakh kg ghee. We have sent the first tanker a few days back.”

‘We Export to Dubai and Qatar, Happy That We Can Again Supply to TTD’

The KMF said that between 2013 and 2018, it supplied 3,000 to 4,000 tons of ghee every year to TTD. In 2019, it provided 2,000 tons and that was the last major supply before KMF withdrew from the tender process and lost the tender at times because of low prices quoted by other private players.

KMF’s Nandini ghee is sought after in South India and even abroad. “We are happy that we are able to supply ghee again because Tirupati has crores of devotees. We feel proud if they use Nandini ghee in the laddus. Nandini is our pride, representing the hard work of 27 lakh farmers from Karnataka. Not just the state, but the entire nation trusts our ghee. It is even being exported to Dubai and Qatar,” said Bheema Naik.

In fact, when private players provided ghee at a much lower price than KMF, there were eyebrows raised on whether quality would be maintained, especially when a government-backed established brand like Nandini bowed out of the tender process, terming it a loss inflicting price.