A conversation with… Dr Jayen Mehta

Dr Jayen Mehta is Managing Director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation - AMUL (India)

Tell us about your organisation?

Amul was formed in 1946, just before India’s independence. We began with two village cooperative societies and 250 litres of milk. Today, we have 3.6 million farmer members across 18,600 villages in Gujarat, handling around 35 million litres of milk every day — roughly 12 billion litres annually. Our turnover last year was about US$11 billion.

Amul has been ranked the strongest food and dairy brand in the world. India is now the largest milk producer globally, thanks to the Amul model being replicated nationwide. India produces a quarter of the world’s milk, and within a decade, that could rise to one-third.

This is the strength of the cooperative model. About 80 per cent of our farmers are landless or marginal, yet together they have built a consumer brand trusted across India and beyond. It’s also a model of women’s empowerment: cattle-rearing in India is primarily done by women, and over one-third of our members are women. Payments go directly to their bank accounts, meaning the income and independence are truly theirs. Amul is not just about milk — it’s about socio-economic transformation and empowering rural communities. Milk has become a tool for national development. 

How does being a cooperative enable you to impact communities?

The cooperative model uplifts people both economically and socially by eliminating the middleman — creating a direct bridge between farmers and consumers. Farmers receive the best possible price, and consumers get quality products at value-for-money prices.

We are market leaders in every dairy category we operate in, but our impact goes beyond economics. Our model contributes to many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, from poverty reduction and gender equality to responsible production and sustainable communities.

Amul is a brand owned entirely by farmers. They manage everything — milk collection, manufacturing, and marketing. It’s a complete farmer-owned enterprise. But Amul’s currency isn’t milk; it’s trust — the trust of millions of producers and billions of consumers.

Why did you join the CM50?

Because it’s a great opportunity to connect with cooperative leaders around the world — to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and showcase true cooperation between cooperatives. CM50 provides a platform for sharing innovations, building partnerships, and showing how collaboration can create global impact.

The International Year of Cooperatives was launched in India in 2024. How has it been for you?

It’s been fantastic. Since Prime Minister Modi launched the International Year of Cooperatives in New Delhi, the message has spread across the country. The IYC logo is visible everywhere — at airports, railway stations, and even at the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious festival. Organisations from every sector are celebrating the power of the cooperative movement.

In 2021, our government created a national Ministry of Cooperation, led by Mr Amit Shah. It’s fostering new multi-state cooperatives in areas from organics to exports and even mobility – including a driver-owned taxi platform similar to Uber or Lyft. Its vision is  Sahakar Se Samriddhi – “With cooperation comes prosperity.” As we’ve said since Amul began: Vina Sahakar Nahin Uddhar – “Without cooperation, there is no progress.” After nearly 80 years, this remains our guiding principle – showing that when people work together, cooperation offers a powerful, fair, and sustainable alternative to capitalism, improving lives and strengthening communities across the world.