Amul has increased its production to meet the increased target; It will not hike its prices: RS Sodhi

RS Sodhi, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Ltd., (AMUL), speaks about hoarding issues amid coronavirus and how his company is trying to create awareness among people against hoarding during a chat with Swai Khandelwal, Zee Business. Edited Excerpts: 

What is your view on the situation and how your company is creating awareness amongst people against hoarding?
It is such that the impact of coronavirus is being felt mainly in metro cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore among others. It is creating a panic buy situation for some products in these areas because people are feeling that they will not be able to get out of the homes if there is a shortage but this is not right. Due to this, the sales of certain products, like butter, ghee, milk powders, paneer, cheese, which can be kept for a long period has increased by 50%-100%. The demand has doubled especially on the e-commerce platform and it has seen good growth in general trade as well. This is not creating any problem related to supply at our end as we keep an inventory of 15-20 days in advance. This has helped us in increasing our production. Thus there is no such shortage. That’s why can ask people not to go for panic buying but get things that are needed. I don’t think there can be a shortage of products. 

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Besides, we are also trying to create awareness about coronavirus in rural areas by arranging certain programs to educate farmers at our village cooperative societies. Also, posters’ detailing the precautionary measures have been put across villages. So, we are working at both levels, rural as well as urban level, and people must not panic about the issue but should adopt the precautionary measures. 

What is your take on prices, which may shoot up due to the mismatch between demand and supply, of milk and milk products?
Amul is a responsible brand and we never tried to reap benefits of the panic situation nor will ever do that ad can say that the price of any product will not shoot up.