Rating Rationale
January 31, 2019 | Mumbai
The Panchmahal District Co-Op. Milk Producers Union Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.225 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable (Reaffirmed)
 
Corporate Credit Rating CCR AA/Stable (Renewed and Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable' rating on the long-term bank facilities of The Panchmahal District Co-Op. Milk Producers Union Limited (Panchmahal Dairy). The bank facility is guaranteed by Gujarat Co-Operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF; 'CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+'). The (SO) suffix reflects the payment structure that is designed to ensure full and time-bound payment to lenders.
 
CRISIL has also renewed and reaffirmed its 'CCR AA/Stable' corporate credit rating (CCR) on Panchmahal Dairy. The rating reflects Panchmahal Dairy's established position in the value chain of GCMMF and the strong business linkages between the entities. The rating also factors the union's established raw milk procurement capability, and benefits derived from the established position of GCMMF's Amul brand in the domestic dairy sector. These strengths are partially offset by Panchmahal Dairy's average financial risk profile because of high gearing, debt-funded capital expenditure (capex), and exposure to changes in government policies and environmental conditions, including epidemic risks.
 
In fiscal 2018, revenue went up 17% annually, driven by steady growth in sale of liquid milk and value-added products. High milk procurement and low demand resulted in increase in fat and powder inventory at year-end. Consequently, debt was higher than anticipated as on March 31, 2018. Milk processing plant with capacity of 7.5 lakh litres per day (LLPD) at Taloja, Maharashtra became operational in September 2018. Ramp-up in operations should drive revenue and cost benefits over the medium term. For the six months ended September 30, 2018, Panchmahal Dairy reported revenue growth of 5.2%. Revenue growth for fiscal 2019 is expected to be moderate at 7-8% on account of lower realisation.

Analytical Approach

* The rating on the long-term bank facilities guaranteed by GCMMF is based on CRISIL's criteria for rating structured obligations.
* For arriving at the CCR, CRISIL has applied its criteria for notching up ratings for parent support. GCMMF's support is treated as similar to parent support given the cooperative structure, with GCMMF being the apex marketing federation for all the cooperative unions in Gujarat. There is an arrangement between GCMMF and its cooperative unions for an assured off-take of their products. For Panchmahal Dairy, around 80% of sales in fiscal 2018 were to GCMMF.
* CRISIL also factors financial flexibility that Panchmahal Dairy enjoys on account of the two-step price payment mechanism.
 
Key drivers for rating on facilities guaranteed by GCMMF & detailed description:
* Strength of the unconditional and irrevocable guarantee, provided by GCMMF, securing the principal repayment and interest obligation on the entire rated debt of Panchmahal Dairy. Credit quality of the rated debt, thus, reflects the credit quality of the guarantor, GCMMF.
 
* The rating also factors unconditional undertaking by GCMMF that it will meet the obligations in case of default by Panchmahal Dairy, within the timeline stipulated in the guarantee document, irrespective of invocation of the guarantee by the lenders. According to the payment mechanism, the guarantor, GCMMF, will pay, no later than 7 calendar days from the due date, any amount due and payable by Panchmahal Dairy in relation to the loans, in case of any default or shortfall in payment by it. The guarantee and the undertaking cover the principal, interest, and all other monies payable under the loan.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Established position in the value chain of GCMMF:
Panchmahal Dairy is one of the 18 milk cooperatives in Gujarat and has a strong position in GCMMF's value-chain, given its large processing capacity and proximity to key markets.

* Strong procurement set-up, backed by cooperative model: Panchmahal Dairy has exclusive rights to collect milk from the Panchmahal and Dahod districts in Gujarat, and has also started procuring milk from some areas in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. It has a network of 2155 dairy cooperative societies that collect milk from over 289,000 farmers. Average milk procurement for fiscal 2018 was 13.25 LLPD as against 9.83 LLPD in fiscal 2017. Milk procurement for the period April to December 2018 was 13.71 LLPD.

* Benefits derived from GCMMF's established Amul brand: GCMMF is India's largest dairy products marketing organisation, backed by strong brand, wide product portfolio, wide-spread distribution network, and an aggressive marketing strategy. Panchmahal Dairy benefits from the large distribution network of GCMMF as well as the strong brand equity of Amul.

Weakness:
* Average financial risk profile:
Financial profile is constrained by high gearing and small networth of 7.40 times and Rs 76.0 crore, respectively, as on March 31, 2018. As a cooperative organization, Panchmahal Dairy distributes a major portion of the profit generated during the year, to village societies, which are suppliers of milk, as well as the shareholders.

* Debt-funded capex plan: Panchmahal Dairy's milk processing plant with capacity of 7.5 LLPD in Taloja, Maharashtra, has commenced operations from September 2018. The dairy is incurring incremental capex of Rs 125 crore in the current fiscal funded majorly through debt. The capex would be towards Taloja plant milk processing capacity, setting up value added product lines in Taloja plant and for setting up chilling centre, godown for cattle feed, and projects pertaining to calf rearing, and frozen semen station.

* Exposure to changes in government policies and environmental conditions, including risk of epidemics: Panchmahal Dairy, like all dairy players, is susceptible to changes in government regulations and to inherent volatility in global milk powder prices.

Liquidity

Liquidity is adequate driven by expected cash accrual of more than Rs 58 crore per annum in fiscals 2019 and 2020 and cash and bank balance of Rs 125 crore as on December 31, 2018. The cash credit limit of Rs 10 crore was utilised at an average of 54% in the nine months through December 2018. There are long-term repayment obligations of Rs 55 crore and Rs 46 crore, respectively, in fiscals 2019 and 2020. Capex of Rs 125 crore to be incurred by March 2019 will be largely funded through debt. Capex of Rs 50-60 crore expected over the medium term will be funded through mix of debt and accrual. While a major portion of the profit generated during the year is distributed to farmers at the end of the year, the co-operative nature of the organization also provides flexibility to reduce milk prices if required, and to retain sufficient funds to service debt.

Outlook on rating on facilities guaranteed by GCMMF: Stable
The outlook is based on the 'Stable' outlook on the rating of GCMMF. The ratings on Panchmahal Dairy will remain sensitive to any change in the ratings on GCMMF.
 
Outlook on CCR rating: Stable
CRISIL believes Panchmahal Dairy will continue to benefit from its strong position in the markets allocated to it, efficient operations, and support from GCMMF. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if significant increase in scale of operations strengthens the union's position in GCMMF's value chain, and if increase in cash flow through ramp-up of operations at new capacity strengthens financial risk profile, while working capital is efficiently managed. The outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if disruptions in milk supply; large debt-funded capex; or sizeable working capital requirement significantly weakens key credit metrics. The ratings on Panchmahal Dairy will remain sensitive to any change in the ratings on GCMMF.

About the union
Panchmahal Dairy, incorporated in May 1973, works under the cooperative structure of GCMMF. It procures milk from 2.89 lakh farmers across 2155 dairy cooperative societies at the village level, processes it, and sells milk products across the country. At the national level, the products are marketed by GCMMF under the Amul brand, while at the district level, products such as milk, ghee, butter, and cattle feed, are sold under Panchamrut and Amul brands. The union has milk processing units in Godhra, Gujarat, with combined capacity of 12.05 LLPD and a unit with capacity of 1 LLPD at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. It also has a cattle feed plant in Khadiya, Gujarat, with capacity of 350 tonne per day. The dairy has also set-up a milk processing plant with 7.5 LLPD (expandable to 13 LLPD) in Taloja, Maharashtra which became operational in September 2018.

About the federation
Set up in 1973, GCMMF is India's largest dairy products marketing organization. The federation procures milk from over 0.35 crore farmers, who are its members. GCMMF has 18,554 active village dairy cooperative societies, and is the apex marketing federation of 18 district cooperative milk unions in Gujarat. The products of its member unions are marketed and distributed under the Amul brand. The federation is the largest exporter of dairy products from India.

Key Financial Indicators*
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 2092 1793
Profit after tax Rs crore 101 77
PAT margin % 4.8 4.3
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 7.40 4.88
Interest coverage Times 5.65 7.08
*CRISIL adjusted numbers

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size
(Rs crore)
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Long Term Loan NA NA 31-July-23 225 CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable
NA Corporate Credit Rating NA NA NA NA CCR AA/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
--  CCR  0.00  CCR AA/Stable      05-01-18  CCR AA/Stable  28-02-17  CCR AA/Stable  04-11-16  CCR AA  -- 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  225.00  CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable      05-01-18  CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable  28-02-17  CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable  04-11-16  CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable  -- 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Long Term Loan 225 CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable Long Term Loan 225 CRISIL AAA(SO)/Stable
Total 225 -- Total 225 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Criteria for rating instruments backed by guarantees
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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