Union demands investigation into Rs 1 milk sale in Karnataka

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Urban, Rural and Ramanagara District Cooperative Milk Producers' Societies' Union Ltd (Bamul) has written to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and PM Narendra Modi seeking an investigation into steep discounts in sale of milk, dairy products and other farmer-produced commodities by quick-commerce platforms. They said some platforms have started selling milk at Re 1 per litre.In his letter to the competition regulator, Bamul president DK Suresh said such pricing strategies could disrupt the traditional supply chain and affect rural livelihoods. He noted that aggressive discount-driven campaigns could undermine the financial stability of milk cooperatives and impact the incomes of farmers who depend on the cooperative model for assured procurement and stable prices. The practice could also affect thousands of small retailers who rely on dairy products as a major component of their daily sales, the letter said.Suresh urged CCI to examine whether such campaigns amount to predatory pricing or an abuse of dominant position by digital commerce platforms.According to Bamul, protecting the stability of India's dairy ecosystem is critical as it supports millions of rural households and has been central to the country's emergence as one of the world's largest milk producers.