Commerce minister Piyush Goyal announced the setting up of a forum for promoting exports from the cooperative sector with a target to double farm exports to $60 billion by 2022.
The Cooperative Sector Exports Promotion Forum (CSEPF) has been set up in National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), which will work with 20 states and union territories in the area of export, Goyal said at an event to announce first-ever 'International Cooperative Trade Fair' to be organised in India.
The trade fair will happen between October 11-13 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi with an aim to promote exports by cooperatives by giving them a platform to interact with global buyers.
AGRI EXPORT PUSH |
|
The trade fair will be organised jointly by commerce, agriculture and external affairs ministries with support of cooperative bodies such as the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority. According to estimates, there are more than 8 lakh cooperative institutions in India and 94% of the country's 15 crore farmers are members of at least one cooperative body.
Cooperatives are in a nascent stage right now as far as exports are concerned, Goyal said. The government's aim is to get them together and encourage them to produce and market products for the global market. Boosting farm exports will help the government achieve the target of doubling farmers income by 2022, and all concerned ministries are working jointly towards this direction, he said.
Promotion of exports of key commodities/value chain products that have high potential, duly backed by specific promotional initiatives including the involvement of stakeholder entities would give a boost for doubling the farmers' income and achieving the goals set under the Agri-Exports Policy 2018. IICTF would be a major platform to promote exports by cooperatives with direct benefits to their members who are mainly farmers, artisans, women, SC /ST etc. This platform will take the farmers, artisans and other members of cooperatives direct to the global trade arena
Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar also said there is a need for all cooperatives to strengthen further to market their products in the international market.
A large number of Indian cooperatives and international cooperative organisations are expected to participate in the three-day event. The trade fair is aimed at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity. It will also provide an opportunity to the participants to collaborate and explore business opportunities with the cooperative organisations from India and abroad.