Bangaloreans accustomed to partnering their bread with the salty, delicious Nandini butter have suffered intensely for over a month. The reason — most of the state-run Nandini outlets in the City have been reeling under a serious shortage in the supply of butter as well as sweet lassi for the past several weeks.
Those manning the outlets at various parts of the City are tired of explaining the reasons to consumers who crave for these quality products. On their part, the authorities refuse to acknowledge the problem exists and even claim to possess excess stock of the same!
An interaction with the staff manning the outlets at various parts in the City in the elicited these interesting responses:
The first halt was the Nandini outlet at Infantry road. “Butter? Not available. We have not been getting it for quite some time. If you want it, you have to go to our booth at the Shivajinagar bus stand,” said a woman manning the counter. The stopover at Shivajinagar was quite enlightening.
No butter
“Butter is not available at any of our outlets. The company has stopped its production for quite some time. Unless it restarts, you cannot get butter. If you want, you can get  Amulya,” said the man at the cubicle.
At the well-lit Nandini counter at the City Railway Station, the person in-charge was totally put off. “It is over a month since this outlet was supplied with butter.
Not only that, it’s over a month since we received our supply of sweet lassi,” he added. A board announcing the supply of lassi outside this counter definitely looked misleading.    
The individual manning the cabin at Malleswaram 18th Cross junction said, “We have not received our supply of butter boxes for many weeks. Proceed to head office at Dairy Circle. You will get it there.”  
The outlets at Ulsoor are probably the only ones where Nandini butter is available. However, the lady at the shop at Cambridge Road lamented that though they were supplied butter every Wednesday, of late, they have been getting much lesser quantity than the orders placed. “We have not been getting lassi for quite some time,” she added. 
Compliants galore
The outlets at Bazaar Road and near Saibaba Temple, Ulsoor, were the two places where Metrolife didn’t hear any grievances. “I was not getting butter a fortnight ago but the issue has been sorted out now and I am getting enough since two weeks.
We don’t get lassi but it may have been suspended as heat conditions have abated,” said one owner.
Consumers, on their part, feel the least that could have been done was to put up notices informing people of the non-availability of the products. While vendors and consumers expressed helplessness, the responses given by officials at the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) were quite baffling.
Officials  speak
A top official denied any shortage of butter or milk products in the City and said,   “We have 200 metric tonnes of butter in stock as on date (May 29). We also have 80 metric tonnes of ghee in stock. Due to changes in lifestyle, there is a spurt in demand for dairy products, particularly readymade curd, and we are meeting the demand.”
Strongly denying charges of a shortage in local supply due to export of dairy products, the official said the ban imposed by the Government on exports was being strictly adhered to. Perhaps, the KMF authorities can go across to a few of outlets in the City and take stock of the ground reality.