Ahmedabad: 4,850kg of spurious cow ghee seized; haul valued at Rs 31.8 lakh

Ahmedabad: The civic body’s food safety department raided three locations across the city and seized 4,850kg of suspected spurious cow ghee. The haul is valued at approximately Rs 31.8 lakh.

The primary target of the raids was a super-stockist at Lakshmanbhai Industrial Estate in the Indrapuri ward. Authorities confiscated 3,250kg of the product sold under two brand names, Rhythm Cow Ghee and Vachanamrut Cow Ghee.

Following leads from that raid, officials moved to distributors in Vatva and Dudheshwar, seizing a further 1,600kg of the suspect material.

“The economics of the operation point directly to adulteration,” said Dr Tejas Shah, the additional medical officer of health. “The product was being supplied to distributors at Rs 330 to Rs 350 per kg while carrying an MRP of approximately Rs 700.”

Shah said, “Genuine cow ghee cannot be produced at that cost. Established brands operate on far tighter margins.”

Investigators believe the substance is not ghee at all, but a mixture of cheap vegetable fats processed to resemble the product.

The raids have also thrown a spotlight on food safety licensing. Under current rules, manufacturers with an annual turnover below Rs 1.5 crore can obtain an FSSAI licence through self-declaration alone.

“The Daskroi-based manufacturer linked to this seizure may have used this route,” a senior AMC official said.

The AMC has sealed all units involved and sent samples for forensic laboratory testing. Results are pending.

“The scale of the seizure — nearly 5 tonnes across three locations in a single day — suggests the network was not a fringe operation,” Shah said. “We believe it was primarily targeting peripheral and rural markets where consumers are less likely to question brand authenticity.”

The Rs 700 MRP on these seized packets was designed to sit within the range of credibility, Shah said.