The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, May 3, 2025 — Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah has set an ambitious vision for the future of India’s cooperative sector, urging three key national-level cooperative institutions—National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), and Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL)—to accelerate their impact on global trade, organic farming, and seed innovation.
During a high-level review meeting in Delhi, attended by senior ministry officials and the managing directors of the three cooperatives, Shri Shah emphasized the government’s commitment to the “Prosperity through Cooperation” vision championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
NCEL was tasked with targeting ₹2 lakh crore in exports, focusing on three high-potential products currently absent from India’s export list. Shah urged cooperative sugar mills and producers of aromatic rice, organic cotton, and coarse grains to scale up, along with exploring partnerships for vegetable exports to Gulf nations.
To boost rural income, the minister directed that all cooperative-related exports be routed through NCEL, with expected returns of ₹20,000–₹30,000 crore in profits channeled back to the cooperative network. He also proposed setting up NCEL offices in Africa and Myanmar to streamline imports like pulses, and launching a dedicated website to connect cooperatives with global demand trends.
NCEL has already made strong strides, enrolling over 10,000 cooperative entities and achieving ₹4,283 crore turnover with ₹122 crore net profit in 2024–25. Its exports now reach 28 countries, covering rice, shrimp, cereals, fruits, vegetables, spices, and more. The body has signed MoUs with 61 buyers in Senegal, Indonesia, and Nepal.
NCOL, which promotes India’s organic products under the ‘Bharat Organics’ brand, is now supplying leading platforms like Amul and Bigbasket, with a rollout to Reliance stores underway. The minister praised the brand’s authenticity-driven model—each batch is QR-coded with lab test results for pesticide residues.
In FY 2025–26, NCOL aims to cross ₹300 crore turnover. The company has already onboarded 7,000+ cooperative members, sourcing over 1,200 metric tonnes of organic goods from 2,000+ farmers, and achieving over ₹10 crore in early revenue.
BBSSL, the national-level seed cooperative, was lauded for its efforts to modernize India’s seed supply chain. Amit Shah called for the development of drought-resistant, high-yield crops like tur, urad, and maize, and new sugarcane strains with higher sugar content and less water dependence.
He emphasized the urgent need to establish a tissue culture facility to produce superior banana saplings across top-producing states. Special push was given to fodder crops and potato varieties suited for French fries—strategically aligning BBSSL with processing needs of NDDB and Amul. Shah also directed close coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture for breeder seed availability.
Reiterating the Centre’s commitment to farmer-led development, Shah noted that these cooperatives are critical pillars of a self-reliant, sustainable agricultural economy. Backed by institutional support, innovation, and a whole-of-government approach, India’s cooperatives are being positioned as engines of both domestic and global agri-growth.
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