In November 2023, the Delhi Police raided a factory in Dwarka that manufactured ‘fake ghee’ and sold it in containers bearing the labels of brands like Patanjali, Mother Dairy and Amul. Last year, in 2022, the Gujarat Police raided a fake ghee factory in Rajkot for selling a fake mixture of pure ghee, palm oil and vegetable oil labeled as pure cow ghee on e-commerce platforms.
In many parts of India, pre-winter is a time of festivities, which means sweets! And those sweets need a lot of ghee, for that sweet aroma and taste.
As the festive season (October-November) approaches, the markets are arousing for sweets and snacks, where those made with desi ghee are in demand. But behind the scenes, there is a stirring dark story. A flood of spoiled food products hit the shelves, and the hardest hit is milk and its derivatives — butter, khoa, paneer, and ghee.
Months after the Tirupai prasadam row exploded in Andhra Pradesh and put ghee adulteration in the limelight, an India Today SIT investigation uncovered an adultery racket in Hathraswhere adulterers were offered ‘ghee’ for Rs 240 per kg, while real ghee costs Rs 600 to Rs 800. It was an unhealthy mixture of hydrogenated vegetable oil, refined oil, and artificial fragrance.
So, why are dieters so interested in ghee? Maybe it’s the tagline, ‘liquid gold’.
AMUL IS FURIOUS AFTER INDIA’S PENNY TODAY EXPOSES FAKE GHEE RACKET.
The India Today Special Investigation Team (SIT), posing as Delhi shopkeepers looking for more ghee ahead of the festive rush, set out on a trip to Hathras, a major ghee-producing hub in Uttar Pradesh. What they found was more of a scam than a festival. They are given a mixture of hydrogenated vegetable oils, refined oils, and artificial flavors, which will make the mixture resemble ghee.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ghee is a pure fat found only in milk, curd, desi (cooking) butter, or cream, with no added coloring or preservative.
So-called “desi ghee”, which usually sells for Rs 600 to Rs 800 per kg, was being offered for Rs 240 per kg to India Today SIT by adulterers in Hathras.
After the exposure of fake ghee being sold in duplicate Amul cartons, the dairy giant has issued an advisory warning consumers about fake ghee doing the rounds in the market. The litre-refill pack, which Amul discontinued three years ago, was being sold by unscrupulous distributors, according to Amul Managing Director Jayen Mehta.
Top case of alleged adulteration of ghee in laddu prasadams at Tirumala Tirupati Shrine, it is said to include animal fatshook India last month. I the investigation into Tirumala ghee was put on hold by the Supreme Court. However, it exposed the fake and adulterated ghee industry.
So, why are dieters so interested in ghee?
THE SEARCH FOR HIGH PROFITS DRIVES A FALSE QUARRY
The answer lies in the lucrative profits that can be made by cutting corners and buying cheap things. Ghee is a staple of many Indian families, especially during the festive season when its demand increases.
The price of ghee in the market varies widely, from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 per kilogram, depending on its purity. These days, some A2 ghee sells for up to Rs 3,000 a kg.
Adulterers benefit greatly from this by mixing ghee with cheaper oils and fats, thereby increasing their margins. By adding refined vegetable oil, palm oil, or other cheaper alternatives, processors reduce production costs.
The economic stimulus, which is often large, is multiplied by the scale of the economy. During the shopping spree of the festival, people often ignore that ghee has FSSAI certification.
Adulteration not only increases profit margins but also allows them to flood the market with cheap, albeit substandard, products.
As of 2023, the ghee industry in India is worth Rs 3.2 lakh crore, and is predicted to shoot up to Rs 6.9 lakh crore by 2032, according to a study by market research firm IMARC Group.
The emergence of customized ghee components, such as A2 ghee, aided by the growth of health awareness and the fast-growing e-commerce sector, has increased the value of the ghee industry, says India’s Ghee Market Report 2024 by IMARC Group.
Great demand provides ample opportunity for this fraudsters like the Hathras to exploit consumers, and make a huge profit in the process.
Consumers, usually unaware of adulteration, buy these fake or adulterated ghee because of their low prices. Its consequences are bad for those adulterers who ignore it, putting public health at risk. Consumers, too, sometimes, ignore the results.
How much profit did the foodies get to dip all five fingers in ghee, especially during the holidays.