Bhopal, June 10: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari has written to Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah, expressing deep concerns over the sharp decline of the state’s flagship dairy brand ‘Sanchi’ following its merger with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Patwari stated that the merger has failed to benefit either consumers or the milk-producing farmers, with milk collection and sales both witnessing a drop. According to Patwari, milk collection by the Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Dairy Federation in Indore fell from 94,496 kilograms in 2023-24 to 85,438 kilograms in 2024-25. Similarly, milk sales have decreased from 1.56 lakh litres to 1.51 lakh litres.

In his letter, Patwari pointed out that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had previously promised to increase Madhya Pradesh’s share in the country’s milk production from 9% to 20%, with Shah also urging the state government to take this target seriously. However, Patwari argued that this goal now seems “unrealistic,” with the situation on the ground moving in the opposite direction.

He also flagged that the number of milk-producer committees has declined from 385 to 362, and the ‘Sanchi Parlour’ scheme is struggling—257 applications for new parlours are pending in the Indore division alone, with only 57 approved and just 31 operational. In Indore city itself, of the 74 pending applications, only one has been approved.

Patwari further claimed that the state government’s neglect has indirectly promoted private dairy brands, allowing them to flood the market with their own milk and milk products. This not only threatens the brand value of Sanchi but also leads to the exploitation of milk-producing farmers, who are now facing economic distress rather than prosperity.

As cooperative minister, Shah should not, according to Patwari, “stand by silently and watch a historic cooperative movement like ‘Sanchi’ collapse.” He recommended steps to rejuvenate the Sanchi brand, including:

• Forming an independent panel to review the MP Milk Federation’s current state.

• Expediting pending applications for Sanchi parlours across the state.

• Assessing NDDB’s role in milk collection, pricing, and distribution, and ensuring greater transparency.

• Seeking an explanation from the state government for the failure to meet milk production targets.

Patwari urged the Union Cooperative Minister to act decisively to “save” the Sanchi brand, emphasizing its critical importance to the cooperative movement and the livelihood of dairy farmers in Madhya Pradesh.