NEW DELHI: The Union cabinet on Wednesday, January 11,  approved the setting up of a national level Multi-state cooperative export society under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, said Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav.

The move will help in achieving the goal of 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi ' through the inclusive growth model of cooperatives," said Union Minister B Yadav during a cabinet briefing.

It is, therefore,  imperative for cooperatives to think globally and act locally to leverage their comparative advantage. Hence, there is a felt need for a national-level cooperative society to be registered under the 2nd Schedule of the MSCS Act, 2002 for providing thrust to organic products from the cooperative verticals by acting as an umbrella organisation for managing a range of activities related to the organic sector.

Primary cooperative societies, district, regional, and national level federations, multi-state cooperative societies, and Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs) are just a few examples of the cooperative societies that can join as members. According to the society's byelaws, each of these cooperatives will have elected representatives on the board. By offering certified and genuine organic products, the cooperative organisation will oversee a variety of activities relating to the organic industry. It will assist in releasing the potential for demand and consumption of organic products in both domestic and international markets.

By permitting testing and certification at a reasonable price, this organisation will also assist cooperatives and ultimately their farmer members in benefiting from the high price of organic products through aggregation, branding, and mass marketing.

Also, through its member cooperatives, including Primary Agricultural Credit Societies/Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), the cooperative society will provide institutional support for the collection, certification, testing, procurement, storage, processing, branding, labelling, packaging, logistic facilities, marketing of organic products, and arranging financial assistance to the organic farmers. 

The cooperative society will also take on all promotion and development-related activities of organisations. To lower the cost of testing and certification, it will appoint recognised organic testing labs and certification bodies that meet the society's requirements.

Through member cooperatives, the organisation will oversee the full supply chain of organic products produced by cooperatives and affiliated entities. In order to expand the reach and demand of organic products on the worldwide market, it will make use of the export marketing services provided by the national cooperative export society being established under the MSCS Act, 2002.

It will also help with constructing and maintaining a specific market intelligence system for organic food, as well as with offering technical support, training, and capacity building for organic growers. A balanced approach shall be preserved between conventional mass farming and organic farming while promoting organic farming.

Union Cabinet Reshuffle likely this month

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