The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, September 9, 2025 – National Co-operative Exports Limited (NCEL) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen India’s cooperative-led agricultural exports. The MoU, signed in the presence of Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, underscores the government’s commitment to synergise the strengths of the Ministries of Cooperation and Commerce & Industry.
The agreement was signed by Shri Abhishek Dev, Chairman, APEDA, and Shri Unupom Kausik, Managing Director, NCEL. It aims to enhance value realisation for farmers, bolster rural livelihoods, and position India more strongly in global agricultural markets.
Dr. Bhutani highlighted that the collaboration aligns NCEL’s vast cooperative network with APEDA’s export facilitation expertise. He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, the Ministry is working to empower cooperative institutions to compete globally.
As part of the MoU, NCEL and APEDA will jointly focus on:
Capacity building and training
Quality compliance for exports
Infrastructure support and revival
Participation in international trade fairs
Branding and market positioning
Market intelligence and analytics
Commodity-specific export strategies
Through structured training programmes, cooperative societies will gain insights into global quality standards, food safety, and export documentation. The partnership is also expected to streamline compliance for exports of fruits, vegetables, spices, cereals, processed foods, and animal products.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Shri Pankaj Kumar Bansal, said the MoU equips NCEL with APEDA’s technical expertise and policy support, enabling cooperatives to access new markets and secure premium prices for their produce.
This collaboration marks a significant step toward building a resilient, competitive cooperative export ecosystem. By integrating APEDA’s market development capabilities with NCEL’s outreach, the initiative will not only deliver tangible benefits to farmers but also reinforce the cooperative movement’s contribution to India’s economic growth, in line with the newly launched National Cooperation Policy.
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