2 min readBhopalAug 12, 2026 07:58 PM IST
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday announced a ban on analogue paneer (or imitation paneer) in the state, saying the government would not promote cheaper non-dairy substitutes and would, instead, push products made from natural milk as part of its effort to increase milk production.
“We have decided that in Madhya Pradesh, the sale of analogue paneer will be discouraged. We will impose a ban on it. Other states in the country have also banned it,” Yadav said.
The chief minister said Madhya Pradesh would focus on strengthening its dairy identity rather than allowing substitutes to gain a foothold in the market. “We have natural milk products here. We will make natural paneer. We will build the state’s identity on the strength of these products,” he said.
Yadav said the government was working to increase milk production in the state and would not encourage the sale of analogue paneer. “We are moving forward in the direction of increasing milk production. We will not promote activities such as the sale of analogue paneer,” he said.
The announcement comes after three states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh, imposed a statewide prohibition on the manufacture, processing, distribution and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer.
What is analogue paneer
The controversy centres on what consumers understand as paneer. Analogue paneer is manufactured to resemble conventional paneer but can use non-milk ingredients, including vegetable fats, starches and other ingredients, instead of the milk fat and proteins found in conventional dairy paneer.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had, on April 22 this year, issued a public notice to food service establishments to correctly label their cheese analogues. The notice clarifies that any cheese analogue sold as “paneer” constitutes a grave violation of the law and the practice must cease immediately.
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Manufacturers of cheese analogues were “directed to ensure accurate and unambiguous product naming when supplying to other food business operators, especially food service establishments.”