GCMMF, which markets dairy products under the Amul brand, will invest around Rs 1,000 crore over the next two years to set up milk processing plants, and another Rs 500 crore on facilities for new products like edible oil, its MD R S Sodhi said

In an interview with PTI, Sodhi said the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF) expects 12-15 per cent growth in revenue in current fiscal year from Rs 38,550 crore during the last fiscal year despite COVID-19 pandemic, as demand for branded food products has increased

“We will invest around Rs 1,000 crore in the next two years on setting up dairy plants across various states,” Sodhi told PTI Also read Amul replaces Dean Foods USA to enter the top 20 global dairy list of Rabo Bank

He said the processing capacity would increase to 420 lakh litres per day from the current 380 lakh litres per day

On new businesses, Sodhi said the cooperative has started manufacturing sweets as well as bakery items using dairy fats

Besides, he said, GCMMF has forayed into edible oil and potato processing segments as part of its objective to boost income of farmers from Gujarat and other states Also read Amul’s group turnover crosses USD 7 Billion

The edible oils will be marketed under the new brand ‘Janmay’. It will produce groundnut oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil and soybean oil

“We already have few plants for edible oil, bakery and potato processing. We will invest Rs 400-500 crore on setting up more plants in these new business areas over the next two years,” Sodhi saidAsked about sales during the pandemic, he said sales of its dairy products like milk, butter milk, paneer and ghee were 15 per cent higher during April-August as compared with the year-ago period, driven by rising household consumption of branded food products Also read Amul sets record by launching 1 product every 4th day in last trimester

However, he said, ice cream sales declined by 30-40 per cent due to closure of hotels, restaurants and canteens because of lockdown

“Marriage ceremonies contribute a lot to ice cream sales. This has been affected badly this year,” he said

Sodhi noted that household consumption of milk and other dairy products has risen, compensating loss of sales caused by closure of hotels, restaurants and cafeterias (HoReCA segment) during the lockdown period

Amul sells 140 lakh litres of fresh milk per day, mainly in Gujarat, Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh. Its dairy products are sold across the country.

As reported in PTI news