Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting on Monday to assess the performance of three major national cooperative institutions launched in 2023:
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National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL)
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National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL)
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Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL)
These organizations are part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader “Prosperity through Cooperation” vision, aimed at empowering India’s vast network of cooperatives through innovation, exports, and farm-level transformation.
NCEL: Expanding India’s Cooperative Export Footprint
NCEL has already achieved a turnover of ₹4,283 crore in FY 2024–25 and exported goods to 28 countries, clocking a net profit of ₹122 crore. Over 10,000 cooperatives are now registered as members.
🔹 Shah directed NCEL to:
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Diversify exports to include sugar from cooperative mills, Tripura’s aromatic rice, and organic cotton.
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Target fresh vegetable exports to Gulf countries.
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Open international offices in Africa and Myanmar for pulse trade.
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Launch a digital platform for cooperatives to access global market data.
Ambitious Target: Export value of ₹2 lakh crore and returns of ₹20,000–30,000 crore to cooperative members.
🌿 NCOL: Boosting Organic India with ‘Bharat Organics’
NCOL, in its first year of operations, partnered with Amul, BigBasket, and soon with Reliance Retail to promote organic products under the ‘Bharat Organics’ brand.
✅ Current achievements:
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Launched 22 products in the Delhi-NCR market.
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Procured 1,200 MT of organic produce from 2,000 farmers.
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Onboarded over 7,000 cooperatives.
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Earned a turnover of ₹10.26 crore.
📲 First of its kind: QR codes on products link to pesticide residue reports for complete transparency.
🎯 FY 2025–26 target: ₹300 crore turnover and the formation of state-level organic farming groups.
🌾 BBSSL: Building Better Seeds for Indian Farmers
BBSSL is tasked with producing high-quality, water-efficient seeds. At its newly opened Kalol centre in Gujarat, BBSSL is working on improved varieties of:
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Pigeon pea, black gram, and maize
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High-sugar, low-water sugarcane varieties
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Tissue-cultured bananas for top-producing states
Shah emphasized collaboration with NDDB and Amul to promote fodder crops like Lachka and urged a focus on French fry-grade potatoes.
The Ministry of Cooperation will also work with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure a timely breeder seed supply.
Through coordinated efforts between ministries and cooperatives, India is aiming for:
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Stronger exports
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Transparent and traceable organic farming
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Improved seed productivity and farmer income
Minister Shah praised all three institutions for their progress and reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening India’s cooperative model.
(Inputs-DD India)
