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India Today
6 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Amul parent GCMMF gets new leadership: The dairy behemoth's tasks ahead
The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the powerhouse behind the globally renowned Amul brand, held its highly anticipated elections in Anand on July 22. The event marked a significant transition in the leadership of one of India's most influential cooperative institutions, with Ashok Chaudhary elected unopposed as chairman and Gordhan Dhameliya as vice-chairman, succeeding Shamal Patel and Valamji Humbal, 55, hails from Chitrodipura village in Mehsana district's Visnagar taluka and is a prominent figure in the state's cooperative sector. He took over as chairman of Mehsana's Dudhsagar Dairy in 2021, after defeating a panel backed by former GCMMF chairman and a man of standing in the community Vipul Chaudhary's political roots go deep within the BJP, having served as general secretary of its Mehsana unit and president of the Mehsana municipality from 2005 to 2007. His ascent to GCMMF chairmanship reflects how political and cooperative clouts typically ally in Dhameliya, the new vice-chairman, leads the Rajkot District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Gopal Dairy). The unanimous election underscores his standing among the 18 member unions, with his nomination proposed by outgoing vice-chairman Valamji Humbal and supported by Ahmedabad Milk Union chairman Mohan Bharwad. Outgoing GCMMF chairman Shamal Patel and vice-chairman Valamji Humbal served two terms of two-and-a-half years each, starting in July 2020 and re-elected in January 2023. Patel, chairman of Sabarkantha's Sabar Dairy, led GCMMF during a period of robust growth, with the federation achieving a turnover of Rs 65,911 crore in FY 2024–25, up 11.2 per cent, and a brand turnover of Rs 90,000 Patel, Ramsinh Parmar, a former Congress MLA who joined the BJP, served as chairman from 2018 to 2020. GCMMF elections occur every two-and-a-half years, as mandated by the Gujarat State Cooperative Act, ensuring regular leadership transitions. The process involves the chairpersons of the 18 member dairy unions, each with one vote, supplemented by additional votes based on their unions' annual turnover with the federation. Notably, GCMMF has maintained a tradition of unanimous elections since its inception in 1973, reflecting a consensus-driven approach, though of late, seen as wholly guided by political directive from the GCMMF chairmanship is a position of immense influence, overseeing a cooperative representing 3.6 million dairy farmers across 18,154 villages, processing around 31 million litres of milk daily—often peaking at 50 million litres. The chairman shapes policies that impact milk pricing, farmer welfare, and Amul's global expansion, making it a role with both economic and socio-political in the cooperative sector is deeply steeped in politics of the day. Earlier, the Congress tried to woo and field cooperative sector leaders in polls as they would have established their influence in their region. The cooperative leaders did not always agree to enter mainstream the last two decades, however, since the late Dr Verghese Kurien stepped down in 2006 as the last non-political chairman, the BJP's complete takeover of the cooperative bodies means every leader is not just aligned with the party but holds a position only on receiving a mandate from 2025 elections saw no contest, with nominations for Chaudhary and Dhameliya proposed and seconded by BJP-affiliated dairy union leaders, reflecting the party's grip. Bipin Patel, the BJP's cooperative cell convenor, reportedly played a key role in ensuring a smooth transition, underscoring the party's strategic cooperative sector in Gujarat, with GCMMF as its flagship, is a microcosm of political influence. This political alignment has often led to concerns from within the community itself about the autonomy of the cooperative model envisioned by founders like Tribhuvandas Patel and BJP's dominance ensures that dairy union leaders, often party affiliates, align with state and national agendas. Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah, a key architect of India's cooperative policy who himself rose the ranks of the BJP alongside a prominent role as chairman of Ahmedabad district cooperative bank, continues to wield significant Chaudhary and Dhameliya inherit a robust ecosystem, with GCMMF being India's largest food products organisation. The Amul model's success, rooted in farmer empowerment and professional management, has made India the world's top milk producer. Favourable factors include strong brand equity, a vast farmer network, and government support via the ministry of cooperation, established to bolster cooperatives challenges loom. Global market competition, climate change impacting milk production, and the need to balance farmer payouts with consumer affordability pose cooperative sector is central to its rural economy, with the ministry of cooperation aiming to replicate the Amul model nationwide. GCMMF is aggressively expanding across India—planning to invest Rs 11,500?crore over the next few years in greenfield and brownfield plants across six states—Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana and Goa—with a focus on modern dairies, bulk milk coolers and product diversification. GCMMF currently exports to about 50 countries and has recently entered the US and European to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Voting for GCMMF top posts today
Vadodara: Elections for the top two posts in the powerful Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) will be held in Milk City Anand on Tuesday, after a gap of two and a half years. The heads of 18 co-operative milk unions of Gujarat, who are members of the GCMMF board, will elect the new chairman and vice-chairman of the federation, which markets dairy products under the brand name Amul. Currently, the chairman of the Sabarkantha District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (Sabar Dairy), Shamal Patel, and Kutch-based Sarhad Dairy's chairman, Valamji Humbal, are holding the two top posts. The duo, who were elected to these posts in July 2020, have already served two terms of two and a half years each. Observers point out that the recent developments at Himmatnagar, where milk producers linked to Sabar Dairy staged protests which spiralled into violent clashes with the police, have put Sabar Dairy's chief, Shamal Patel, on a sticky wicket. Sources said a decision on the new chairman and vice-chairman will be taken by the leadership of the BJP, given the fact that the saffron party now has complete hold of all the milk unions of Gujarat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Casa Maquista chefs explore turmeric's essence in Macanese cuisine. MGTO Undo Since its inception in 1973, GCMMF was headed by its founder chairman, the late Dr Verghese Kurien, who stepped down in 2006. He was the last non-political chairman of the federation. Since 2006, the GCMMF chairmanship has been held by Banaskantha-based Banas Dairy (Parthi Bhatol), Mehsana-based Dudhsagar Dairy (Vipul Chaudhary), Sabarkantha-based Sabar Dairy (earlier Jetha Patel and now Shamal Patel), and Anand-based Amul Dairy (Ramsinh Parmar). Banas, Mehsana, Sabar and Amul are the four biggest milk unions of Gujarat. The post of vice-chairman, which was created in 2015 through an amendment to GCMMF bylaws, was first held by Panchmahals-based Panchamrut Dairy's chief, Jetha Bharwad, and is currently held by Humbal. Anand district collector Praveen Chaudhary told TOI that the election will be held from 11am onwards according to the GCMMF bylaws presented to him. GCMMF has a unique voting pattern where all district dairy union chiefs who are board members have one normal vote each. In addition, they carry additional votes that are counted based on the business that the dairies they head transact with the federation in the financial year. With 3.6 million dairy farmers associated with the 18 milk unions of Gujarat, GCMMF is the world's largest farmer-owned dairy cooperative. Its group brand turnover is more than $11 billion, while it handles more than 12 billion litres of milk every year.
