It is indeed great news when an Indian corporation achieves a billion dollar turnover, but the same news gets bigger and in itself becomes a reason for celebration if it is Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF: an apex body of 13 milk co-operatives), more popularly known as Amul – The Taste of India. Yes! The federation has crossed the coveted billion dollar mark in the current financial year, 2006-07. What makes this achievement special is that unlike any other corporation where the benefits of this kind of achievement accrue to its promoters and shareholders, in the case of GCMMF, it accrues to the most neglected and the majority stakeholder of our economy, i.e., the Indian farmer! Of course, there is more than one reason why the success of GCMMF is both unique and critical, particularly in the Indian environment. In a country where farmers have been the most neglected stakeholders, GCMMF has shown how, with the right intent and vision, a farmer cooperative can functi...
Dr. Arindam Chaudhuri
(An IIPM Think Tank Blog)