Amul asks PM to delay plastic straw ban starting July 1

Amul has written to the government asking it to postpone a proposed ban on small plastic straws, claiming that the decision will have a “negative impact” on farmers and milk consumption in India.

Amul made its case in a May 28 letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office, which was submitted ahead of a July 1 ban on straws packed with small packs of drinks and dairy products, a market estimated to be worth $790 million by an industry association. Every year, Amul sells billions of little dairy cartons with plastic straws.

According to Reuters, the decision has alarmed Amul and global beverage giants such as PepsiCo Inc and Coca-Cola, especially after the government refused to amend its stance and ordered companies to transition to alternate straws.

In a letter signed by Managing Director R.S. Sodhi, Amul claimed that the straws contribute to increased milk consumption and that the ban, which is part of Modi’s campaign to eliminate polluting, single-use plastic, should be postponed for a year, reports Reuters.