Nigeria to study the Amul model

It may have been content so far with milk powder as a substitute, Nigeria now intends to replicate the Amul model in the near future.

Smitten by the dairy brand of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) is planning to send a team to study the co-operative model.

"We had visited GCMMF on Tuesday and were impressed by their co-operative model and the way they produce milk. We intend to replicate this model in Nigeria," Reuben Kifasi, director - investment promotion, NIPC, on the sidelines of '3rd Nigeria - India Business & Investment Forum (NIBIF - 2010)' in Ahmedabad. Currently, the African country uses milk powder as a substitute to milk.

However, according to Mustafa Bello, executive secretary, NIPC, Nigeria may not be able to replicate it fully.

"It is not easy to replicate the Amul way of producing milk. We are importing milk powder as of now. It would be difficult to suddenly stop those imports and that may also encourage smuggling. We will have to take it up in phases," said Bello.

The Nigerian team is expected to visit Anand, GCMMF's headquarters, in the following months soon.

"We are looking at possibilities of opening up our own dairy farms and initially supply milk to schools. Later when we have convinced the government to increase the cattle, Nigeria can look at replacing milk powder with milk. Plus, we may not be able to go the co-operative way completely but would want to study Amul's milk production and technology aspects to replicate something," Bello added.

Hinting at possibilities of milk import from Gujarat, Bello said, "We may import milk from Amul during the transition from milk powder to milk in Nigeria."