Section 35
Amul (GCMMF cooperative)
Started as: Collecting milk from village farmers for supply to Bombay
- founded
- 1946
- founder
- Milk farmers of Kaira district led by Tribhuvandas Patel; built up by Verghese Kurien
- headquarters
- Anand, Gujarat
- 73,450
- GCMMF sales turnover, FY2025-26 (₹ crore) · 2026
- 1+
- Total Amul brand turnover, FY2025-26 (₹ lakh crore) · 2026
- 36
- Farmer members (lakh) — approx. · 2025
- 18,600
- Villages in Gujarat covered by member unions · 2025
The story
In the 1940s, milk farmers in Gujarat's Kaira district were selling to a private dairy at prices they felt were unfair. With Sardar Patel's advice and Tribhuvandas Patel's leadership, they formed their own cooperative in 1946.
Verghese Kurien, a young engineer, joined in 1949 and stayed. The cooperative built modern plants, made butter and milk powder, and sold under one brand, Amul. The model spread across India through Operation Flood.
Amul is owned by about 36 lakh farmers in 18,600 villages, organised in 18 district unions. In FY2025-26, GCMMF's turnover reached ₹73,450 crore.
Where it works today
Milk and dairy productsIce creamChocolatesPackaged foods
Main companies
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) · Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Amul Dairy) · 18 member district milk unions
Timeline
- 1946Kaira district farmers register their own milk cooperative union at Anand.
- 1949Verghese Kurien joins and starts building the dairy.
- 1955A new dairy plant opens at Anand.
- 1965The National Dairy Development Board is set up at Anand to copy the model nationwide.
- 1966The Amul girl advertisements begin.
- 1970Operation Flood begins, spreading village dairy cooperatives across India.
- 1973GCMMF is formed to market the products of Gujarat's district unions under the Amul brand.
- 2026GCMMF turnover reaches ₹73,450 crore; the Amul brand crosses ₹1 lakh crore.