Madhya Pradesh bans analogue paneer to protect dairy identity
The government of Madhya Pradesh has imposed an immediate statewide ban on analogue paneer, covering its manufacture, distribution and sale. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav confirmed the restriction, which officials described as a measure to protect consumers and support the state’s dairy sector.
Madhya Pradesh is the fourth Indian state to introduce a broad prohibition on artificial or non-standard paneer products, after Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. The policy applies to substitutes made without milk and forms part of wider enforcement of food standards and product-origin rules in India’s dairy market.
Analogue paneer is produced using non-milk ingredients, including vegetable oils such as palm oil, starches and industrial emulsifiers. These formulations can reduce manufacturing and wholesale costs for food-service businesses. State authorities said the products’ similarity in appearance and use to conventional paneer can allow operators to sell them as genuine dairy products without sufficiently clear disclosure of their ingredients.
The Food Safety Department began targeted inspections and raids at factories in industrial areas after officials received reports that manufacturers were seeking to move surplus imitation-p paneer stocks into Madhya Pradesh. The department seized products that did not comply with the rules and introduced testing procedures intended to identify and stop unauthorised sales through retail and food-service channels.
Officials also linked the ban to milk procurement and regional dairy production. They said low-priced non-dairy substitutes could reduce demand for liquid milk and affect primary producers. Under the new restriction, food-service buyers will be required to source paneer that meets the state’s definition of a milk-derived product, with the stated aim of directing urban demand towards local farmers and cooperative milk unions.
The action follows prohibitions and enforcement measures against imitation paneer in neighbouring jurisdictions. It comes as food-processing companies in several Indian states face increased scrutiny over ingredient compliance and the definition of dairy products. The report was published by The Times of India.
