AMC suspends 1,768 kg of substandard ghee worth ₹11.43 lakh in Ahmedabad
Synopsis
Ahmedabad's civic body has pulled 1,768 kg of branded Agni ghee — worth over ₹11 lakh — off the market after a lab declared a sample substandard. The trail led from a Kalupur bazaar trader to a Sabarmati distributor, and now crosses state lines as the AMC hunts down the manufacturer. A wider inspection blitz across all food establishments is next.
Key Takeaways
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) suspended 1,768 kg of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) worth ₹11,43,278 from sale on 2 August .
A sample collected on 20 July from trader Janak Modi at Kalupur Ghee Bazaar was declared substandard by the Public Health Laboratory .
The supply chain was traced to Rishabh Ghee Bhandar , Sabarmati , owned by Ashokkumar Bagarecha ; fresh samples from two product variants have been sent for testing.
Suspended stock includes 1,094 kg of Agmark Pure Desi Ghee (₹7,00,835) and 674 kg of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (₹4,42,443).
As the products are manufactured outside Gujarat , the Food and Drugs Department, Gandhinagar and the concerned state's food safety officer have been notified.
The AMC has announced intensive inspections of all food establishments in Ahmedabad in the coming days under the FSSA and GPMC Act .
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has suspended the sale of 1,768 kg of branded ghee worth ₹11,43,278 after a laboratory test declared a sample of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) substandard, triggering a distribution-chain investigation across the city. The action follows a sample collection on 20 July from a trader at Kalupur Ghee Bazaar under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
How the Inspection Unfolded
Food safety officials from the AMC's Health Department collected the original sample from the premises of trader Janak Modi at Kalupur Ghee Bazaar on 20 July. The sample was dispatched to the Public Health Laboratory, which subsequently returned a substandard verdict.
A follow-up inspection on 2 August traced the product's supply chain to Rishabh Ghee Bhandar, located in the Ramnagar locality of Sabarmati, owned by Ashokkumar Bagarecha. Officials collected fresh samples from two variants — Pure Desi Ghee (Agni) in a 15 kg tin and Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) in a 15 kg tin — for further laboratory analysis.
Stock Suspended and Valuation
The AMC immediately withheld the remaining inventory from sale pending further action. According to the civic body, 1,094 kg of Agmark Pure Desi Ghee (Agni), valued at ₹7,00,835, and 674 kg of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni), valued at ₹4,42,443, have been suspended from sale — bringing the total to 1,768 kg worth ₹11,43,278.
Cross-State Coordination Initiated
Since the products are manufactured outside Gujarat, the AMC has notified the designated food safety officer of the manufacturing state via email. The Food and Drugs Department in Gandhinagar has also been alerted so that appropriate authorities can initiate further action at the source.
This cross-state referral is a standard protocol under the Food Safety and Standards Act but is significant given the scale of the stock involved and the branded nature of the product.
Wider Enforcement Drive Planned
The AMC has signalled that this action is not an isolated response. The civic body stated that its Food Department team will conduct intensive inspections of all food business establishments in the coming days, covering hygienic conditions as well as licence and registration compliance.
'The Food Department team of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation will carry out intensive inspections of all food business establishments in the coming days with regard to hygienic conditions as well as licence/registration compliance. If any establishment is found operating without a licence/registration or violating the prescribed rules during the inspections, strict action will be taken against it under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) and the GPMC Act,' the civic body stated.
The crackdown is part of a broader food safety enforcement drive aimed at ensuring regulatory compliance across food businesses in Ahmedabad. With fresh laboratory results pending and cross-state authorities now in the loop, further action against the manufacturer remains likely.
Point of View
To the manufacturer outside Gujarat. The AMC's cross-state referral is procedurally correct, but inter-state food safety enforcement in India has historically moved slowly, and manufacturers rarely face consequences as swift as the traders who stock their products. The announced inspection blitz is a welcome signal, but its credibility will depend on whether it extends beyond the immediate controversy or fades once the headlines do. Branded ghee carrying an Agmark certification failing quality tests also raises questions about the robustness of pre-market certification processes.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the AMC suspend ghee sales in Ahmedabad?
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation suspended the sale of 1,768 kg of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) after a Public Health Laboratory test declared a sample collected on 20 July from Kalupur Ghee Bazaar substandard. The suspension was ordered pending further investigation and fresh laboratory analysis.
Which establishment was found to be distributing the substandard ghee?
A follow-up inspection traced the product to Rishabh Ghee Bhandar in the Ramnagar locality of Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, owned by Ashokkumar Bagarecha. Officials collected fresh samples from the premises during the 2 August inspection.
What is the total value of ghee suspended from sale?
A combined 1,768 kg of ghee worth ₹11,43,278 has been withheld — comprising 1,094 kg of Agmark Pure Desi Ghee (Agni) valued at ₹7,00,835 and 674 kg of Pure Cow Desi Ghee (Agni) valued at ₹4,42,443.
What action has been taken against the manufacturer?
Since the products are manufactured outside Gujarat, the AMC has notified the designated food safety officer of the manufacturing state via email and also alerted the Food and Drugs Department in Gandhinagar for further action by the appropriate authorities.
What further inspections is the AMC planning?
The AMC's Food Department has announced intensive inspections of all food business establishments in Ahmedabad in the coming days, covering hygiene standards and licence or registration compliance. Establishments found violating norms face action under the Food Safety and Standards Act and the GPMC Act.
