Tirupati temple: The grade of ghee used to produce the prasadam is important to the major controversy over the inclusion of animal fat in Tirupati laddoos. The infamous Nandini ghee supply stop last year has come to light due to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s accusation, supported by a lab study, that ghee purchased under the YSR Congress Party rule included fish oil and cattle tallow.

At the Sri Venkateswara temple, which attracts hundreds of pilgrims every day, the flavor of the Srivari laddoos is largely determined by the quality of the ghee.

Every six months, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board, which oversees the temple, calls for bids for the supply of ghee, and it buys five lakh kg of it annually.

After almost 15 years of affiliation, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government ceased purchasing the Nandini ghee for the laddoos from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) last year due to price concerns.

Because it was unable to provide its ghee at a competitive price due to an increase in milk costs, the Karnataka Milk Federation chose not to participate in the bidding process. The Karnataka Cabinet raised the price of Nandini milk by Rs 3 per liter last year. The lowest bidder was so given the contract.

When KMF president K Bheema Naik implied that “discriminatory practices” prevented Nandini ghee from being used in the well-known Tirumala laddoo, the revelation set up a significant controversy.

“The laddoos won’t taste the same after this. Nandini undergoes all quality tests and offers the finest ghee available. “I assume that the quality will be compromised if any brand is offering ghee at a lower price than Nandini,” Naik had said.

The BJP accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress administration in Karnataka of political intervention in the affairs of the Tirupati temple after the statements set off a political blame game. Additionally, there were claims of “compromised laddoo quality” and pressure from the YSRCP government on the temple board to purchase ghee from a different manufacturer.

However, after Chandrababu Naidu’s order to raise the quality of laddoos, the KMF has started providing TTD with its renowned Nandini ghee again as of August. This happened after Naidu’s TDP, allied with the BJP and Janasena, won 167 seats in the July Assembly elections, storming to power in Andhra Pradesh.

In Tirupati, almost 3.5 lakh laddoos are made daily, with each one costing about Rs 40. Approximately 400–500 kg of ghee, 750 kg of cashew nuts, 500 kg of raisins, and 200 kg of cardamom are needed each day to make the laddoos.

The TTD has established a committee to provide recommendations on the terms and conditions that should be incorporated for obtaining premium ghee for the laddoos in light of the current incident.