Every Person in Gujarat Consumes 5 kg of Adulterated Ghee

Cooperative dairies produce 830 million kg of ghee. 400 million kg is adulterated.

Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, March 23, 2026
Gujarat’s cooperative dairies produce 830 million kg of ghee. If ghee produced by the private sector is also taken into account, the total production in Gujarat amounts to 1.6 billion kg. When samples of this ghee were tested, 25 percent of them failed. This directly implies that 25 percent of the ghee available in the market is adulterated. If one calculates 25 percent of the total 1.6 billion kg production, it is suspected that between 400 million and 500 million kg of adulterated ghee is being produced. It can be estimated that, on average, every individual in Gujarat consumes 5 to 6 kg of adulterated ghee and ghee-based sweets. Twenty-eight illicit factories involved in the production of thousands of tons of adulterated ghee have been busted.

Much like the flow of adulterated milk, rivers of adulterated ghee are now flowing across Gujarat. A massive industry has emerged that manufactures counterfeit products—including fake buttermilk and fake yogurt—in unlimited quantities.

Assembly Proceedings
Since 2024, 76,000 kg of ghee in Gujarat has failed quality tests. The highest volume of adulterated ghee was produced in the Mehsana district. In Mehsana, out of 24,491 samples tested, the largest proportion of ghee products failed the quality assessment.
In Ahmedabad, 7,530 kg of ghee—valued at ₹4.163 million—was found to be adulterated.
On March 14, 2026, Minister of State for Health Praful Pansheriya informed the Gujarat Legislative Assembly that the adulteration of milk-based products had increased during the two-year period of 2024 and 2025. This figure includes 76,000 kg of ghee. In Mehsana, with 24,491 samples tested, the highest number of ghee products failed the quality assessment. In Ahmedabad, 4,500 food samples were collected, and 232 samples failed testing; these included 76 kg of *paneer* (cottage cheese) and 7,530 kg of *ghee* (clarified butter), valued at ₹41.63 lakh.

In Patan, 23,943 kg of *ghee*—worth ₹73.86 lakh—was seized during the years 2024 and 2025.

In enforcement actions carried out up to January 31, 2024, 129 kg of *ghee* was found to be unfit for human consumption.

In Kutch, 2,249 liters of *ghee* were found to be unfit for consumption, while in Gandhinagar, 17,842 liters were similarly deemed unfit.

This information was shared by the Minister of State for Health in the Legislative Assembly.

2025 – Commissioner

A special drive was launched to take action against traders selling adulterated *ghee* during the festive season. Within a span of 10 days, adulterated *ghee* worth ₹3 to ₹4 crore was seized from across the state. Dr. H.G. Koshiya, the Food and Drug Regulatory Commissioner, stated that on September 13, 2025, raids conducted at various locations across the state resulted in the seizure of goods worth over ₹1 crore; this included raw materials used to manufacture counterfeit *ghee* by adulterating pure *ghee*.

In Gandhidham, 69 tons of goods—valued at ₹1.4 crore—were seized.

In Dhrol (Jamnagar), 69 tons of *ghee*—which was being used for adulteration purposes—was seized from Krishna Trading Company.

Ambaji

On October 6, 2023, adulteration of *ghee* was detected in the *Prasad* (religious offering) distributed at the Ambaji Temple. Thousands of tons of counterfeit *ghee* had been distributed as *Prasad*. The government has not yet released any official accounting regarding this matter.

The prime accused, Jatin Shah—owner of Neelkanth Traders—had procured the *ghee* from Dushyant Soni. A major fair (*Mela*) was held during the *Bhadarvi Poonam* festival, spanning from September 23 to September 29, 2023. Mohanthal is served as *prasad* (religious offering), for which the agency had already placed an order for ghee in advance to replenish its stock. The entire matter came to light later when a sample of the ghee failed quality testing.
The ghee was purchased from Jatin Shah, the owner of Neelkanth Traders in Ahmedabad.
The contract for the *prasad* supply was awarded to the Touch Stone Foundation, Ahmedabad, for the period spanning 2012 to 2017. The Touch Stone Foundation had previously been fined ₹60,000 for adulteration in the *prasad*.
The tender of Mohini Caterers—the company responsible for preparing the Mohanthal—has not been renewed.

**Dairy Units**
**Anand**
Adulteration was detected during tests conducted at Amul’s laboratory on July 21, 2020. The Milk Union faced allegations regarding the adulteration of its ghee.

**Mehsana – Dudh Sagar Dairy**
On September 17, 2020, adulteration involving 16 percent palm oil was detected in the ‘Sagar’ brand ghee—valued at ₹40 crore—produced by Dudh Sagar Dairy in Mehsana. Following the discovery of this adulteration, sales of the ghee witnessed a decline of 34 percent.
Forty employees were transferred in the wake of the incident.
Despite repeated requests from the GCMMF (Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation)—which included an offer of a 50 percent subsidy over a two-year period—Dudh Sagar Dairy failed to install a GC (Gas Chromatography) machine to detect adulteration in its ghee. The dairy’s Vice Chairman, Mohjibhai, and former MD, Nishith Pakshi, were remanded to police custody for three days.
The Milk Marketing Federation had directed Dudh Sagar Dairy to purchase a GC machine instead of relying on the existing RM machine. An RM machine checks the RM value of ghee and indicates its general purity level.
However, new types of chemicals are now being added to ghee to mask adulteration, thereby preventing the RM machine from detecting any impurities. When the Federation conducted an inspection at Dudh Sagar Dairy, approximately 600 metric tonnes (MT) of ghee—stored in the warehouse for sale and valued at ₹40 crore—was found to be adulterated. It was subsequently revealed that a criminal conspiracy had been orchestrated. Instead of being destroyed, the adulterated ghee was handed over to a transporter.

Dudhsagar Dairy used to import ghee from Haryana; however, permission had been granted to procure only milk and milk powder from that specific plant—the production of ghee was not authorized.

**Adulterated Ghee in Palli, Too**
In Palli, there is a custom of offering *Desi Ghee* (clarified butter). Every year, 1.5 million visitors arrive and offer a total of 600,000 liters of ghee, valued at ₹20 crore. During this period, shops selling counterfeit ghee under the guise of authentic *Desi Ghee* spring up across the area.

**Counterfeit Ghee Racket Busted in Ahmedabad: 70 Tins Seized**

In Ahmedabad, the Sarkhej police seized 70 tins of counterfeit Amul ghee.

**4 Tons of Ghee**
In Anjar (Gandhidham-Kutch), approximately 5,000 kg of ghee was discovered at a farmhouse located near Varsamedi village. The ghee stored at the farmhouse belonged to its owner, Yatin Prabhu Koli.

**Ahmedabad**
In 2021, near the Sanand Circle in Ahmedabad city…

2,400 kg of counterfeit ghee was seized from Jagdish Estate.

Two individuals were arrested and interrogated in connection with 160 tins, each containing 15 kg of ghee. The consignment was being procured from a merchant, packed in Ahmedabad, and transported to Rajkot. The accused would prepare and seal a 15-kg tin of counterfeit ghee for a cost of ₹1,500. They would then fill these tins with counterfeit ghee and sell them for ₹5,000. They affixed labels of Amul and other brands onto these tins.

**Ghee Worth ₹500 Crore Seized**
On July 16, 2018, goods worth ₹500 crore were seized during a raid conducted at the premises of Rajeshbhai Chavda, the owner of Shiv Industries factory, located in Gugariyala village near the police station in Surendranagar. The police seized machinery, counterfeit ghee, butter, palm oil, incriminating materials, tins, and barrels—including goods valued at ₹77 lakh. The counterfeit ghee was being sold at a rate of ₹450. This illicit trade in counterfeit ghee had been operational for four years. Packaging options ranging from 250-gram packs to 15-kg tins were available.

**Counterfeit Ghee**
In 2025, counterfeit ghee bearing the Amul brand label was intercepted at Payal Traders, located in Sector-26 of the GIDC industrial estate in Gandhinagar. A total of 207 kg of goods—comprising suspicious pouches of Amul-branded ghee (in 15 kg and 500 ml sizes) and Amul ghee labels—was seized. The estimated value of this seized quantity is approximately ₹70,000.

**Deesa**
On February 26, 2025, 4,000 kg of adulterated ghee—valued at ₹17.5 lakh—was seized from the premises of Navkar Dairy Products in the Deesa area of ​​Gujarat’s Banaskantha district. This consignment was intended to be shipped to Rajasthan for sale during the festive season.
The company’s license, issued by the Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Authority, had previously been revoked on September 4, 2023. Nevertheless, the company continued to produce ghee. Nani Bhakhari
The Banaskantha Police raided a fake ghee manufacturing unit in Nani Bhakhari village of Deesa Taluka. A large quantity of ghee pouches bearing the Amul and Sagar brands were seized at the location.

Rajkot
The police apprehended an individual at the warehouse of Rameshwar Dairy, located within Shivdham Society-3 on Kothariya Road in Rajkot, for packaging and selling counterfeit Amul-branded ghee. The seizure included 10 tins of Amul ghee worth ₹48,000; 1,090 pouches of 500 ml Amul ghee worth ₹207,100; and 61 pouches of 1-liter Amul ghee worth ₹23,180.

Rajkot – Amul Counterfeit
On July 5, 2021, 395 tins of oil and 20 tins of Amul ghee were seized at the Old Market Yard in Rajkot. The shop owner, Piyush Somnani, offered a defense regarding the allegations. While defending himself against the charge of adulterating sunflower oil, he stated that sunflower oil labels were affixed because the original labels for the Palmolein oil had expired. In his defense regarding the ghee, he claimed that the original Amul ghee tins had been swapped with “Collector” tins (generic tins). It was alleged that other types of ghee were being mixed into the Amul ghee tins. A total of 284 kg of ghee, valued at ₹1.13 lakh, was seized.

Rajkot
On August 21, 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted a raid at the dairy unit of M/s Korova Milk Products Pvt. Ltd. in Rajkot, Gujarat, seizing goods worth approximately ₹1.13 lakh. Additionally, 6,500 kg of adulterated ghee, valued at ₹35 lakh, was seized. The ghee was found to be adulterated with extraneous fats.

Nadiad
On March 26, 2025, an operation at the ghee manufacturing facility of Kshem Kalyani & Milk Products—located in Godown No. 3, Salon Talpad, on the Nadiad-Dakor Road—resulted in the apprehension of individuals engaged in the adulteration of ghee. 3,109 kg of ghee and adulterated substances were seized. Suspicious ghee worth ₹8.5 lakh was confiscated. Dilipsinh Khumansinh Raulji was interrogated.
Butter oil and ghee flavoring agents were being mixed into the ghee (marketed under the ‘Shri Kalyani’ brand).
A sample of the ghee was collected from a 15-kg container. Samples of the butter oil and ghee flavoring agents were also collected. The seized inventory included 1,500 kg of ghee (valued at ₹5.25 lakh), 1,600 kg of butter oil, and 1 liter of ghee flavoring—totaling a combined quantity of 3,100 kg.

**Kheda**
On March 27, 2025, a factory named ‘Kalyani,’ located on Dakor Road in Nadiad (Kheda district), was caught manufacturing 3,109 kg of counterfeit ghee valued at ₹8.5 lakh.

**Key Incidents**

**Kutch**
On October 13, 2025, a factory in Gandhidham (Kutch) was discovered using refined palm oil as its primary ingredient to produce a product with a texture identical to that of pure ghee. Goods—including raw materials—worth ₹1.4 crore were seized; these items were being utilized to manufacture counterfeit ghee by adulterating pure ghee.

During the administrative raid, a total of eight samples were collected; four of these samples were taken from ‘Krishna Trading Company’ in Dhrol (Jamnagar) and sent to a laboratory for testing.

The remaining stock amounted to approximately 69,000 kg (69 tons). These samples were collected at ‘Bharat Foods Co-operative Limited’ (located in Gandhidham) in the presence of Akhilesh Kumar Krishnapal Singh. During the investigation, the entire stock of 67 tons of suspicious Refined Palm Oil (RPO)—estimated to be worth ₹1.32 crore—was seized. The production and sale of this Refined Palm Oil (RPO) were being conducted under the brand name ‘Savera,’ packaged in 15-kg containers.

**Gondal**
On August 20, 2025, a factory manufacturing counterfeit ghee—identified as ‘M/s Korova Milk Products’—was apprehended in Gomta, Gondal (Rajkot). 6,500 kg of ghee, valued at ₹35 lakh, has been seized. It was found to contain vegetable fat.

Jamnagar
On October 12, 2025, individuals were caught red-handed at Krishna Trading Ghee in Dhrol, Jamnagar, while adulterating ghee with soybean and vegetable fats. The merchant involved was Bharat Khimsuriya.
Additionally, two tons of other food items, with an estimated value of ₹5.8 lakh, were seized.
Action has also been initiated to cancel the license of Krishna Trading Company.

Surendranagar
On June 3, 2025, 2,700 kg of Maheshwari Products and Chemicals were seized in Surendranagar.

The value of the seized products is approximately ₹13 lakh, and they were confiscated in the interest of public safety.
Rajesh Bharat Chavda was present at Shiv Industries, located on Chotila Road, Gugaliyana, Thangadh. At this location, loose ghee under the ‘Shri Bhog’ brand was found…

…[used] for its preparation were butter and refined Palmolein oil.

**Navsari**
On June 24, 2024, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration seized 3,000 kg of adulterated ghee—valued at ₹14 lakh—in Navsari. This ghee was adulterated with impure oil, which health experts consider toxic to the human body. Palmolein oil had been mixed into it. Ten cans of Palmolein oil were also recovered.

**Mehsana**
On October 14, 2024, 45.5 tons of suspected ghee—valued at ₹1.39 crore—was seized. Hariom Products, located at Rajratna Estate in Budasan, Kadini (Mehsana), did not possess a valid FSSAI license. Foreign fats, palm oil, and ghee were recovered from the premises. Ramu Dakuram Dangi was present at the time of the raid. A total of 43,100 kg of material, valued at ₹1.25 crore, was seized.

**Patan**
On October 14, 2024, suspected ghee was being manufactured at the firm of Nitin Kumar Bhai Lal Ghiwala, located near ‘Three Gates’ in Patan city. The remaining stock of 2,400 kg—valued at ₹14.30 lakh—was seized.

**Siddhpur**
On February 22, 2025, a private luxury bus belonging to Rajdhani Travels—traveling from Patan to Siddhpur—was intercepted while transporting goods destined for Mumbai. Small and large containers of ghee, valued at ₹3,92,250, were discovered in compartment number 105 of the bus.
The luxury bus driver, Sameer Khan Mahboob Khan Chand Khan Baluch, and the conductor, Ranjit Deshlaji Visaji Thakor, were taken into custody. **Siddhpur**
On August 8, 2024, suspected ghee was seized from the Dairywala Products factory in Siddhpur. Upon inspection, 5,500 kg of ghee recovered from the Dairywala Products factory—operating at Plot No. 237 in the Siddhpur GIDC industrial estate—was found to be adulterated. The ghee was adulterated with vegetable oil. Ghee worth ₹16.50 lakh was seized.

**Surat**
On March 14, 2026, a major scam involving the manufacture of counterfeit ghee—adulterated with vegetable oil and marketed as “pure cow ghee”—was uncovered at Shop Nos. 106 and 107 of Avasar Plaza, near Rangoli Chowkdi in the Utran area of ​​Surat. The facility was operating under the name ‘Tata Dairy Products.’ A man named Nihar Bharatbhai Mavaliya was producing the fake ghee, which was being sold under the brand names ‘Shri Sahajanand Cow Ghee’ and ‘Shri Gajanan Cow Ghee.’ Goods worth ₹3.60 lakh were seized, including 582.02 liters of suspected counterfeit ghee, the machinery used for its production, and containers of palm oil kept for adulteration purposes.

**Surat**
On October 15, 2025, ghee samples collected from three shops in the Amroli area of ​​Surat failed quality tests. The ghee was found to contain excessive levels of fats and fatty acids. Over 9,000 kilograms of ghee were seized, and four individuals involved in selling the counterfeit ghee were arrested. This entire operation was carried out through raids conducted at Shri Mahadev Dairy, New Adinath Dairy, and the New Adinath Warehouse. Samples of various food items—including sweets and ghee—were collected for testing.

**Vadnagar**
On October 14, 2019, a joint team comprising police personnel and officials from the Food and Drug Department conducted surprise night inspections at two ghee trading units in Mehsana and Vadnagar, under the guidance of Deputy Superintendent of Police Manjita Vanzara. Goods worth ₹84,470 were seized on suspicion of adulteration.

**Vadgam**
In 2019, *Desi Ghee* (clarified butter) of the ‘Gaurav’ brand—valued at ₹10,24,860—was seized from a factory named ‘Shri Riddhi Vinayak Products,’ located in Mahi village near Chhapi in the Vadgam taluka. A total of 3,306 kilograms of *Desi Ghee* were confiscated. Deesa and Palanpur are increasingly gaining notoriety as hubs for the production and sale of counterfeit ghee. Dahod
During a raid at a factory named ‘New Babaji Enterprise’ in the Kharedi GIDC area of ​​Dahod, counterfeit food products—including Palmolein oil—were seized. The police confiscated oil pouches of various brands, stickers, and other items from the factory. In total, the police seized goods worth ₹15 lakh, including oil valued at ₹1.17 lakh.

Ghee Production
Ghee production across 22 cooperative dairies.
In the year 2024-25, Gujarat produced 831,574.12 tonnes (83.16 crore kg) of ghee. Ghee production (in tonnes) in Gujarat’s cooperative dairies during 2024-25:

Junagadh – 784,229
Banaskantha – 14,023
Mehsana – 9,475.50
Sabarkantha – 7,022
Panchmahal – 5,544
Surat – 4,049.04
Rajkot – 2,005
Valsad – 1,695.99
Porbandar – 817.40
Vadodara – 612.41
Kutch – 591.44
Gandhinagar – 532.72
Surendranagar – 527
Bhavnagar – 239.94
Ahmedabad – 176.22
Amreli – 33.10
Morbi – 00
Botad – 00
Dwarka – 00
Bharuch – 00
Jamnagar – 00
Kheda – 00
Total – 831,574.12

Health Risks
Palmolein oil is commonly referred to as palm oil; it is the most widely consumed oil in the world. Harvard University identifies this oil as a contributing factor to heart disease. This oil can cause many heart diseases. It contains about 50 percent saturated fat. This fat accumulates in the arteries and forms plaque, blocking them.
Fake ghee is dangerous for health. It is harmful to the digestive system, constipation, acidity, heart disease, cholesterol, liver, and kidneys. It is harmful to children and pregnant women. The chemicals present in it increase the risk of cancer in the long term. Fake ghee contains more hard fat and trans fat.

The Collector oversees cases of food adulteration. Since then, adulteration has increased.

Ghee Market
There is a large ghee market in the Baradi area of Khambhalia in Dwarka. A large number of people come to sell ghee from Khambhalia, Lalpur, Bhanvad, and Kalyanpur. 7,000 to 8,000 kg of ghee is sold daily. At ₹460 per kg, the ghee is worth ₹30 to 40 lakh. The ghee sold by the owners is auctioned in public. Three Types of Soda

Bitter, bitter-tasting ghee is made. Livestock farmers feed buffaloes cottonseed and rice bran. Cottonseed feed produces high-quality ghee. There is a special type of grass that, when grazed, increases the fat content of buffalo milk.

Ahmedabad Market
Ghee sold in the Ahmedabad market for 200 to 250 rupees per kg in the name of purity contains up to 80 percent vegetable oil.

…and turmeric are present. Atul Soni, the scientist in charge of the municipal lab, stated, “Driven by the desire to procure goods cheaply, traders adulterate the ghee, oil, and milk they purchase, thereby playing fast and loose with people’s health. Consuming such products increases the risk of developing cancer and life-threatening heart diseases. Pure ghee should have a Reichert-Meissl value of at least 24. In branded ghee, this ratio typically falls between 25 and 30; however, if the ghee is adulterated, this ratio drops to a mere 1 or 2. Turmeric is often added to give the ghee a yellow hue. This poses a risk of heart disease and cancer.”

**Baba Ramdev**
In August 2022, ghee from Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali brand was found to be adulterated and detrimental to health during testing. Samples of the cow ghee failed the laboratory tests. A complaint was subsequently filed against Patanjali in court. Following the findings of the Uttarakhand State Lab, the samples also failed tests conducted at the Central Lab. Consequently, the Food Safety and Drug Department of Tehri has filed an appeal against the Patanjali company in the ADM Court. When the Food Safety Department issued a notice to the company, the company dismissed the State Lab’s report as false. However, Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali brand ghee failed the tests at the Central Lab as well. As a result, the Food Safety Department is proceeding with the appeal against the company in the ADM Court in Tehri. Food Safety Officer M.N. Joshi stated that, according to the lab report, Patanjali ghee is adulterated; it fails to meet the prescribed standards for ghee and has been declared harmful to health. Baba’s cow ghee is sold on a large scale throughout Gujarat.

**Himatnagar**
On March 18, 2026—following a fake milk scam—a network involved in the illicit production of 208 kg of fake ghee, valued at ₹50,000, was busted in Raigarh village within the Himatnagar Taluka. The ghee was being manufactured illegally inside the residence of a food business operator. During the raid, authorities discovered vegetable ghee, soybean oil, and a suspicious white powder on the premises. Counterfeit ghee was being prepared by mixing these ingredients. A man named Khubiram Shivcharan Sharma was apprehended.

**Veraval**
On September 27, 2025, a merchant named Gautam Ratilal Vaghela was selling branded ‘Mahi’ and ‘Ever Green’ ghee—adulterated with castor oil, vegetable oil, and soy oil—at a shop named “Volga Ghee Depot,” located near Patan Darwaza in Veraval, Gir Somnath. He was selling the ghee at a price ranging from ₹300 to ₹700 per kilogram.

**Rajkot**
On October 11, 2024, a large quantity of counterfeit ghee was seized from the Metoda GIDC area in Rajkot. It was revealed that Sitaram Vijay Patel was selling ghee at ₹800 per kg, cow ghee at ₹640 per kg, and buffalo ghee at ₹580 per kg from a dairy unit located in the Vaniyawadi area.

**Deesa**
On October 13, 2029, suspicious goods worth ₹6 lakh were seized from the warehouse of Sagar Devchandbhai Panchiwala in the Harsoliavas area of ​​Deesa. Two samples of ghee—branded as ‘Happy’ and ‘Raj’—were collected for testing.

**Surat**
On March 21, 2024, 225 kg of counterfeit ghee was seized from the Rander area of ​​Surat. The containers holding the ghee bore the logos of branded ghee companies. The accused, identified as Rajesh Patel, was arrested.

The seized items included five sealed containers of refined soybean oil (15 kg each) and containers holding 15 kg of ‘Raag’ vegetable oil.

**Surat**
In 2019, 314 kg of suspicious cow ghee—packed in 21 tins of 15 kg each—was discovered at a firm operating within the Ambika Industrial Estate, located in Saroli on Kadodara Road in the Surat district.
The seized ghee amounted to 314 kg, with an estimated market value of ₹1 lakh. Surat
On June 27, 2015, a fine of ₹5.5 lakh was imposed in Surat on Deep Dravya and Inter-esterified Vegetable Fat.

Ghee Seized from a Car
The police seized 113 pouches of counterfeit Amul ghee from a car in Modasa, located in the Aravalli district. Upon receiving this information, responsible officials from Sabar Dairy arrived in Modasa.

Counterfeits in Surat
In 2021, the Surat Police and the Health Department conducted a raid. A warehouse in Surat—where counterfeit ghee was being packaged under the brand names of Sumul and Amul Sagar Dairy—was busted. A factory engaged in duplicating the oil and ghee products of a renowned company was uncovered.

Prior Incidents
Previously, out of 40 samples collected from 22 dairies in Ahmedabad, 80 percent failed laboratory tests.

Beware: Risk of Cancer
Among all dairy products, ghee has been found to contain the highest levels of adulteration. Vegetable fat is extensively used to artificially increase the fat content in ghee. Consumers of such products face risks ranging from diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and intestinal infections to typhoid, cholera, and—in the long run—cancer.

Rivers of Counterfeit Ghee Flowing Under BJP Rule

Health officials in Gujarat have completely failed to prevent the public from consuming adulterated ghee. Instead of producing ghee from cow or buffalo milk, thousands of individuals are now manufacturing adulterated ghee. Only a handful of them are ever caught. Under the BJP regime, it is not rivers of authentic ghee that flow, but rather rivers of counterfeit ghee. The sale of counterfeit ghee is increasing day by day. While the police manage to seize counterfeit ghee in most instances, an impression has emerged that Hemant Koshia—the head of the Food and Drug Regulatory Authority, who bears the responsibility for safeguarding public health—and his staff are doing nothing to address the issue. Questions are now being raised regarding their accountability. This illicit racket continues to operate unchecked. Factories producing counterfeit ghee are flourishing in Gujarat, thereby compromising public health. As revealed by sample tests, 25 percent of the ghee trade in Gujarat involves counterfeit products.

This fact has been unequivocally established.

Krishna’s sacred land—Dwarka—is no exception to this trend.
Khambhalia, located in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district, hosts the country’s largest ghee market. In Bhanvad—a town within the Kalyanpur taluka—a massive dairy trade thrives despite the absence of livestock. Counterfeit milk is used to manufacture fake curd, buttermilk, and ghee. Previously, in Khambhalia…

Once renowned for its pure ghee, the region is now notorious for counterfeit ghee. This fake ghee is manufactured by mixing chemical essences and heating *paan* (betel) leaves. Ghee worth merely ₹50 is sold at a price ranging from ₹500 to ₹600 per kilogram.

**500 kg of Ghee Seized**
On October 9, 2018, a similar counterfeit ghee manufacturing scam was uncovered in the Jamnagar City-A Division area. Acting on a tip-off, the Jamnagar Police conducted raids and seized 500 kilograms of fake ghee from five different locations. Prior to this, 1,200 liters of milk had also been seized. Harun Usman and Amin Harun were the individuals operating the dairy business involved in this scheme. A total of 528 kg of counterfeit ghee, valued at ₹2.62 lakh, was confiscated. Additionally, 44 kettles, 7 cans of palm oil, and 19 cans of vegetable ghee were seized.

**300 kg Seized in Upleta**
On May 3, 2018, 300 kilograms of adulterated, counterfeit ghee were seized in Upleta. A long-running racket involving the sale of fake ghee was busted at a shop named ‘Radhe Provision Store’ on Balraj Sahni Road. The counterfeit ghee was produced by mixing vegetable ghee with cooking oil. Sanjay Kachela, who was apprehended along with the illicit ghee manufacturing unit, had been selling the duplicate product in Upleta and the surrounding villages. The seized items—all of which were used in the production of the ghee—included 1,573 cans of various types of ghee, 10 cans of soybean oil, 54 cans of vegetable ghee, and 5 gas cylinders.

**100 kg of Adulterated Ghee Found in Jetpur**
In the city of Jetpur, Rajkot district, police discovered 100 kilograms of adulterated ghee inside a residential home. This stash was recovered from the residence of an elderly woman named Labhuben Bhavanbhai Khunt, who had been engaged in the production of counterfeit ghee for a considerable period. The ghee in question had been manufactured by her son-in-law, Raju Keshu Kamani. Adulterated Ghee in Kutiyana
On July 13, the police busted a dairy named ‘Bhole’ that was manufacturing counterfeit ghee. From the premises, authorities recovered 70 containers of chemicals, 120 containers (25 kg each) of raw materials, one container of finished ghee, and 150 empty barrels. Goods worth ₹4.50 lakh were seized. The dairy owners, Manoj Bhishmapari and Satyapal Bhishmapari Goswami, were arrested. Corrupt officials from the Food and Drugs Department had been turning a blind eye, allowing them to operate their illicit business.

Counterfeit ghee was seized from Kutiyana. Notably, manufacturers of fake ghee had been arrested in 2007 as well. Although such adulterated ghee is being smuggled into milk dairies—often operating under the guise of cooperative dairies—within the Porbandar district, corrupt officials at the Food and Drugs Regulatory Office continue to allow this to happen.

1,229 kg of Counterfeit Ghee Seized from Milk Dairy

In Chadela, 1,229 kg of counterfeit ghee—valued at ₹4.5 lakh—was seized from the Mahesh Milk Center. Samples of ghee had been collected from this dairy in November 2017. After laboratory reports revealed the ghee to be of substandard quality, the Adjudicating Officer and Deputy Collector filed a case against the proprietor, Mahesh Bhanu Thakkar, and imposed a fine of ₹7 lakh. The seized ghee was subsequently destroyed at a designated dumping site on Nagor Road in Bhuj.

Adulteration Under the Guise of Amul Ghee

Following a police seizure of counterfeit ghee in Deesa (Banas Kantha district) on November 29, 2017, the police recently conducted a raid on a factory in Chandisar, Deesa, and seized a consignment of suspicious ghee. Authorities recovered over 600 containers of ghee bearing the ‘Amul’ brand label. The owner stated that he was manufacturing the ghee on behalf of a company named ‘Health.’

In Palanpur, ghee made from potatoes and papayas is available on the market. A gang selling counterfeit ghee was apprehended in Palanpur; they used potatoes, papayas, preservatives, and various other chemicals to manufacture the product. When an alert citizen caught them in the act, a crowd gathered and subjected them to a beating. The illicit ghee manufacturing operation was being conducted within a slum area.

**Banaskantha**
On December 21, 2025, an illegal ghee manufacturing operation was exposed at the Chandisar GIDC in Banaskantha. A suspicious stock worth ₹24 lakh was seized and sealed. Acting against Bhavesh Chokhawala, authorities confiscated ghee that had been adulterated with palm oil. A stockpile consisting of palm oil, unlabeled liquids, and other adulterants was discovered on the premises. They were selling a mixture of cow and buffalo ghee under the brand name “Ghoomar.”

**Counterfeit Amul Ghee**
On October 27, 2017, in Rajkot, the police—in collaboration with the Health Department of the Municipal Corporation—apprehended two brothers (relatives referred to as *Mama* and *Mami*) who had been repeatedly selling counterfeit and adulterated ghee under the Amul brand name. The duo was caught running a business involving the sale of this product in both cans and pouches. A case was registered against both individuals, they were arrested, and counterfeit ghee worth ₹2.78 lakh was seized. The seized items included 10 cans of Amul ghee valued at ₹48,000; 1,090 pouches of 500ml ghee valued at ₹2.07 lakh; and 61 pouches of 1-liter ghee valued at ₹23,180. The Branch Manager of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (Amul) in Rajkot was duly informed of the incident. A case has been registered under Sections 272, 273, and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as Sections 78 B, D, and E of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958.

**Counterfeit ‘Sagar’ Ghee**
On February 4, 2018, in the Dhanera Taluka, edible oil and ghee were being sold wholesale under counterfeit brand labels. A customer became suspicious after noticing a price discrepancy of ₹300 on a 15-kilogram pack. Adulterated ghee of this nature has been seized on previous occasions as well.

Adulteration Detected in 900 Tons of Ghee at Dudhsagar Amul Dairy

દૂધસાગર અમૂલ ડેરીના 900 ટન ઘીમાં ભેળસેળ

Dudhsagar Dairy is set to launch in Himachal and Haryana; however, what action has the BJP taken regarding these 12 instances of corruption?

The ‘White Revolution’ has now turned into a ‘Black Revolution.’

**Penalties**
According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, a fine of up to ₹1 lakh may be imposed. The punishment ranges from 6 months to 7 years of imprisonment.

Imprisonment of up to 10 years is possible. If the consumption of adulterated food results in a fatality, the perpetrator of the adulteration may face life imprisonment or a prison term of up to 10 years.

If there is no threat to human life, the offense is classified under the category of fraud.

**How ​​is Ghee Produced?** When butter is heated to 64°C, it melts and begins to foam. Its volume expands. This process continues until the temperature reaches 94°C, and this temperature is maintained…

The heating process continues until all the moisture has completely evaporated. The temperature then rises to 98°C; at this stage, the liquid thickens, and bubbles begin to rise and burst at the surface. As the temperature reaches 110°C, the curd solids—now resembling buttermilk—begin to float; by the time the temperature hits 120°C, these solids settle at the bottom of the vessel.

At this point, the large bubbles give way to smaller ones and turn brown in color, signaling that the ghee is ready. The heating is then stopped, and the liquid is strained. During the heating process, the temperature must not be allowed to exceed 128°C. If the ghee is cooked over insufficient heat, residual moisture will remain; conversely, if it is overheated, the curd solids will burn, imparting a burnt odor to the ghee. In such instances, the beneficial ‘Probiotic A’ is destroyed, the ghee acquires an unpleasant fatty smell, and it fails to develop its characteristic granular texture.

**Verification Methods**

**Check by Scent:** Pure ghee possesses a distinct, nutty aroma that becomes more pronounced when heated. Artificial or adulterated ghee often lacks this specific fragrance, indicating that it has been adulterated.

**Check by Color:** Authentic cow ghee exhibits a light, golden-yellow hue. It contains no artificial coloring agents. If the ghee appears unusually bright or lacks this natural coloration, it is likely impure.

**Examine the Texture:** Observe the consistency of the ghee carefully; pure ghee is smooth and creamy. If any sediment or residue settles at the bottom, the ghee is likely adulterated.

**The Burn Test:** Place a spoonful of ghee on a hot griddle or pan. Pure ghee melts rapidly without leaving any residue behind and evaporates cleanly. Impure ghee may emit an unpleasant odor or leave a solid residue adhering to the pan.

**The Refrigeration Test:** Pure ghee solidifies when kept in a refrigerator but melts when kept at room temperature. If it remains in a liquid state even after refrigeration, the ghee is fake and adulterated.
You can also check it using water. To do this, first take a glass of water, then add a small amount of ghee to it. If the ghee floats on the water, it is pure; however, if it sinks, it is adulterated.

We aim to help you understand the actual quantity of milk utilized in the production of dairy products, relative to the total volume of raw milk produced.

The following information regarding milk production and milk-based products for the year 2023-24 has been released by the Department of Animal Husbandry. Number of Milking Animals (2023-24):
18,112 indigenous cows yield an average of 5.010 kg of milk per day. Based on this calculation, the total milk yield from all these cows amounts to 33,196 lakh kg.

17,517 hybrid cows yield an average of 9.330 kg of milk per day. Based on this calculation, the total milk yield from all these cows amounts to 63,659 lakh kg.

Buffaloes — 42,100 buffaloes yield an average of 5.330 kg of milk per day. Based on this calculation, the total milk yield from all these buffaloes amounts to 82,159 lakh kg.

Goats — 18,671 goats yield an average of 0.600 kg of milk per day. Based on this calculation, their total milk yield amounts to 4,103 lakh kg.

Thus, the combined total milk yield from all these animals amounts to 183,118 lakh kg.

Milk Packaging in Dairies:
Milk processed at ultra-high temperatures: 105,142.47 metric tons.

Packaged milk with an extended shelf life, which has been processed at ultra-high temperatures. 139,781.33

Flavored Milk 6,218.61

Pre-packed Ready Milk – SFG Milk / (Milk Pouches) 731,670.98 MT

0000000000
Sales of Other Items
Milk Powder
Skim 69,145 MT
Whole Powder 43.50 MT
Milk Powder 10,272 MT
Buttermilk Powder 12,274.02 MT
Total Powder Production 91,734 MT
000000000000000
Table Butter 39,766.29
Garlic Butter 766.07
Cream 17,080.78
Cheese 1,461.25
Buttermilk 13,556,897.15
Amul Spray 55,105.05
Panda 417.88
Ice Cream 26,828.13
Sweets 1,515.24
Shrikhand 7,331.57
Amul 44,661.61
Amul Rewri 41.66
Paneer 13,790.47
Amul Paneer 338
Flavored Yogurt 238
Curd 31,765.57
Masti Curd 1,779,367.51
Amul Masti Curd 16,061.41
Light Curd 13,267.86
Amul Light
Amul Try 1,623.17
Lassi 2,352.36
Gopal Lassi 48
Cooking Butter 2,834.73
White Butter 33,535.34
Amul Buttermilk 12,516.41
Table Butter/Buttermilk: 15,959.40
Mawa: 433.82
Amul Meethi Bani: 10,215

Total: 15,686,210 MT from Gujarat.
Including Ghee (831,574 MT), the grand total amounts to 16,517,784 MT.

Powder Production: 91,734 MT
Thus, the total production of all dairy products—excluding liquid milk—stands at 15,777,944 MT. (Ghee—831,574 MT—has not been included in this figure.)
(Excluding chocolates)

Revenue Generated from Milk
Total milk volume (including goat milk): 1,831,180,000 kg (183,118 Lakh kg)

That is:
Revenue generated from 18,311,800 MT of milk.

Of this total milk volume, the quantity sold in pouches/bags amounts to 731,670.98 MT. Excluding this direct milk sale, the remaining total…

Production of milk products: 15,777,944 MT

(Google Translation from Gujarati)