Of the district’s 445 milk cooperative societies, 240 operate their testing centres to maintain quality. The area contains 32 cooperative societies with milk chilling units, each having a 3,000-litre storage capacity. Reports indicate that influential secretaries at these facilities adulterate quality milk with water, sugar, and urea overnight before union delivery. The current union administration has pledged to identify and address these violations.

Officials in Prayagraj rejected 12,000 litres of milk during the recent Kumbh Mela, while Goa authorities refused deliveries due to quality concerns. The UHT facility at Jangamanakoppa, operating under a two-year PPP arrangement, produces Nandini Good Life tetra pack milk. The private organisation faced rejection of its entire 12,000-litre Kumbh Mela order, including 4,000 litres already sent. Sources said that the Haveri milk union’s board confirmed similar rejections from Goa, with technical issues at the private facility affecting Nandini’s reputation.

Equipment issues led to a 15-day pause in milk supply from Haveri milk union to the UHT unit. Previously, the facility received 30,000 litres daily from the union. Of the daily collection of 1.3 lakh litres, only 20,000 litres are used for packaged milk and yogurt. An additional 30,000 litres is used to support the Ksheera Bhagya scheme, milk powder, butter, and UHT milk production, causing substantial financial losses to the union, said sources.