Aavin is back in the news, this time with allegations of a scam. In a press meet, Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers’ Welfare Association Head Ponnusamy, levelled serious allegations at the organisation. 

He said, “The Minister of Milk Production published a video of about 4 minutes and 39 seconds on 3 November 2023 saying that some rumours are being spread about Aavin milk. In addition to that, he said that drinking milk with high cholesterol causes heart attacks. In order to prevent people from dying of these attacks, he said that they are bringing in a new low-fat milk through Aavin.”

Ponnusamy said this was false information. He also said that it could probably be a misunderstanding on the part of the minister.

Considering the fat content in milk produced by Aavin, he said, “In February 2023 in Coimbatore, the green cover milk packet (Aavin Green Magic) which contains 4.5% fat and is standardised milk. According to the guidelines of the FSSAI, there are 4 types of milk, he said. One is double-toned milk, 1.5% fat, and about 9% solids. Second is the blue packet, toned milk which is homogenised milk. It has 3% fat and about 8.5% solids. Next, is the standardised milk (Green Magic) which contains 4.5% fat and about 8.5% solids. Finally, we have the full fat/full cream milk which has 6% fat and 9% solids.”

These 4 types of milk are being produced per the FSSAI keeping in mind the health of the public and have been in the market for more than 30 years.

“Many private milk companies are also following these guidelines. But ever since the DMK came to power, the malpractices and mess in Aavin are occurring due to the corruption in the department,” he alleged.

“To hide this scam, the procurement in Aavin has reduced to 26 lakh litres. Because the procurement has been reduced, they could not reduce the sale. As it is not possible to reduce the sales, they are procuring from states that are known for adulteration such as Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and buying powder and butter and producing the products. When doing so, the price of a litre of milk is ₹60. Aavin is in loss so what they are doing is, reducing the fat content and selling it at an implied selling price to the public,” he said.

It Is Incorrect To Call It Cow Milk

Ponnusamy added, “This is the present state of Aavin and the minister responsible for this industry is aware of it. In February, when Nasser was the minister, they started it and in March, they are doing it in Nellai Thoothukudi and Karaikudi. In Chennai, they introduced a new milk variety called Aavin Delight. They said it was Aavin cow milk but we see it as a big fraud. The reason for this is in the villages when the milk is procured, the cow milk and the buffalo milk are mixed together and cooked in the same pot and brought to dairy farms with the help of lorries. When it is brought in as mixed milk, it is a big mistake to call it cow milk. When they introduced it as cow milk, We strongly opposed it. They changed the name to Aavin Delight.”

Aavin Delight is a milk variety that will not get spoilt for 90 days.

Ponnusamy said, “In September 2023, the minister spoke to the press and said that in Tamil Nadu, the cow milk that is procured has more than 6% fat. Since it has more than 6% fat, we are going to give a higher rate for milk with higher fat. On 4 October 2023, the Administrative Director, Vinith IAS announced that since it has more than 6% of fat, we are going to change it to 7.5% of fat and up to 9% solids. We opposed this at the time of the announcement itself. This is because the cow milk that we get in Tamil Nadu has less than 3% and up to 4.3%-4.5% fat only. Anything beyond that is a fraud. We released a condemnation letter condemning the minister and Aavin. If the milk has more than 5% fat, it is surely buffalo milk and cannot be cow milk. They denied it then.”

He added, “On 2 November 2023, the same people released a report. It says that on average cow milk contains only 3-4% fat and that is why we are bringing out this Aavin Delight milk variety. The reports released in September and October are contradictory to each other. We suspect that the minister and the officer are involved in a planned conspiracy. The reason for that suspicion is this: Alex Jivadas, a suspended veterinary doctor, is alleged to be involved in a lot of adulteration in the Aavin. He was suspended for this. He is from the same district as Minister Manothangaraj. They both are Christians. On that basis, it is alleged that after he was appointed as the Minister of Milk Production, Alex Jivadas met him and had the suspension order revoked, and joined work again.

Based on his recommendation, we have received information that the milk produced with a new fat composition has been introduced. The full cream milk has 6% fat and costs ₹30 per half litre and ₹60 per litre. A few weeks ago, in Vellore, they reduced it to 5% but retained the same pricing. They stopped production of the 4.5% fat milk and introduced the 3% fat milk for the same ₹22. In today’s rate, 1% fat amounts to ₹8 per litre.”

Planned Conspiracy To Cheat Public

Ponnusamy alleged, “In Madurai/Theni, they reduced the 6% fat to 4.5%, according to the FSSAI guidelines, it must be called standardised milk. They are selling standardised milk at a full cream milk rate. That’s about ₹12 per litre hike. This is a planned conspiracy to increase the prices of milk and it is affecting the public. Aavin Delight does not fit into any of the criteria suggested by the Food Commission of India. On the front of the milk packet, it is written “Aavin Delight” but at the back, it says “Toned Milk”. The blue packet is also toned milk. Toned milk is homogenised milk which costs ₹20. This is a fraud on the people. In Vellore, Thirupattur, and Thiruvallur, they are removing the fat content and adding hydrogen peroxide and caustic soda to the milk. It was uncovered by Aavin officials but they hid the news from the public.”

When the minister was asked about these allegations, he simply brushed it off saying, they are spreading slander. Ponnusamy questioned as to why the minister was not taking any action if it was slander. 

Procurement From Other States

Ponnusamy said, “In October, they procured 1421 metric tonnes of milk powder and 420 tonnes of butter, and more than 400 tonnes of whole milk powder from Rajasthan and Maharashtra. When we have adequate milk production, the milk dealers would gladly give if a fair price for the milk is paid. Aavin can give good quality milk to its consumers. Instead of doing that, they are buying milk powder from Maharashtra and are hell-bent on getting the commission from it. To achieve this, they have to reduce or cut off milk procurement from the local dealers. By doing all this, they are hiking the prices for the products by hoodwinking the public.”

The green cover milk variety (Green Magic) is no longer in circulation in about 50% of the districts in the state and they have brought in Aavin Delight in place of it. It is not there even on their website. But when asked, “The minister says those who have the monthly card will be able to get the milk”. Ponnusamy asks, “Who buys the card? Can poor people afford it? You have to pay the monthly amount for the milk, 15 days before the calendar begins. This advance amount is something poor people cannot afford. They will resort to buying it at shops. Should only the rich and mighty buy Aavin milk, why is not accessible to the poor? They say 30 lakh litres of milk is being produced in Tamil Nadu, of this, 60% is the Green Magic variety, and 40% is constituted by full cream milk and toned milk.”

Condemnation & Request To Take Back What Was Said

Ponnusamy said, “We ask that Mano Thangaraj take back what he said in the press meeting. He is saying incorrect and untrue information. We condemn his statements that the milk from fat is causing heart attacks and that the milk available at Aavin is cow milk. This is untrue. We are looking to initiate legal action on this. In Madurai people on behalf of the Consumers Forum are planning to initiate legal action for these reasons – the full cream milk which has 6% fat is reduced to 4.5 and sold as Aavin Gold costing ₹56 per litre; TeaMate milk which contains 5.5% fat instead of 6% and costs ₹68. They have stopped Green Magic and brought in the 3.5% milk packet. We will also take legal help if all this is true. Aavin is not a government enterprise. It is a cooperative society formed by farmers and dairy owners. I have been part of this organisation since 1992 but never have I seen such a bad situation.”  

“We Are Not Targeting Any Specific Regime”

Ponnusamy added, “We are not targeting the DMK government, in the ADMK rule as well, we have raised allegations against the corruption that were discovered. When the DMK came to power, we were silent for the first 6 months to allow them time to settle in. We couldn’t keep quiet as the government started a reduction in procurement. When the Aavin Vigilance officers found out that hydrogen peroxide which can cause cancer was mixed with milk and distributed to the various centres like Ambattur, it was picked up by news media. However, the government did not initiate any action on whoever did it. The present CM who was the then opposition leader made a huge fuss when water was mixed in milk and ensured action was taken but now he is silent. This adulteration was not done by any outsiders but by Aavin employees only. They just covered up the whole story. When DMK came to power in 2021, the milk procurement was at 38.26 lakh litres per day. They reduced it to 25-26 litres and increased it a little. They say they introduced Aavin Delight because people asked for it – when did they survey the people, they say it was recommended by a doctor – which health officer/doctor did it? Was it a government hospital doctor? There is no open statement on it nor any news in the papers. They reduce milk procurement suddenly overnight without any prior intimation. They put forth an order saying we will cut 10% green magic and replace it with the Aavin Delight. There is no written order for anything, everything is oral.”

Milk Packets Featuring Stalin’s Face

Aavin distributed milk packets recently featuring CM Stalin’s face. When asked the minister said, “They paid for the advertisement”. Ponnusamy asks,  “Will they put Modi or Amit Shah’s photos if they pay for advertisement? This is something that no CM has done. When Kalaignar was celebrating his 75th birthday, Aavin officials insisted on putting his photo on milk packets. When he came to know of this, Kalaignar reprimanded the officers and asked them not to do it. He said that the milk cover would be thrown in the trash and would be trampled upon. That was a shining example. But what has this government done? For the sake of advertisement, they have featured Stalin and Kalaignar on the milk packets to promote them.” 

Aavin has been in the news ever since the DMK came to power. As Ponnusamy says, right from reducing milk procurement to increasing prices for all their products to employing child labourers at Aavin factories, Mano Thangaraj seems to have ensured the total decimation of a brand that people had been trusting over the years. 

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