Increased agri exports, farmers’ enrichment, demand-based crop cultivation, organic products export, bio-fuel exports and overall cooperative sector development are the objectives of National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL), which was formally launched on Monday by Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.

Agriculture contributes about 15 per cent of GDP, whereas nearly 60 per cent of the total population is engaged in it. “No country can strengthen its economy by ignoring this 60 per cent of the population,” he said.

“We have to grow, increase our GDP and the income of this 60 per cent has to be increased by providing them employment opportunities. The only solution is to strengthen the cooperatives,” Shah said. He was optimistic that NCEL would work towards fulfilling the six objectives.

NCEL would serve as a link between farmers (through cooperatives), and overseas markets with good demand for milk products, jeera, isabgol, spices and ethanol. Shah said NCEL has received orders worth Rs 7,000 crore and negotiations are currently on for a further Rs 15,000 crore.

NCEL was recently declared the canalising agency for government-to-government non-Basmati rice exports. Orders received from different countries through diplomatic channels would be routed through it.

Pointing out that farmers were not getting the benefit of exports, the minister said NCEL would pass on minimum 50 per cent profit directly to farmers’ bank accounts after purchasing products from them at minimum support prices (MSPs). This would encourage farmers to grow demand-driven crops.

“Currently, farmers grow whatever they want to. NCEL will try to ensure that crop patterns are changed in line with export demand,” Shah said, adding the agency would have to fulfil all the brand-building, packaging and marketing requirements.

The minister also said the government would run pilot projects through Nafed and NCCF to increase pulses production, and the agencies would start registering farmers growing pulses.

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