Commerce and Industry Minister calls for Mass Movement of Cooperatives in Agriculture Sector

Commerce & Industry Ministry to work with Agriculture Ministry to Double Farmers’ Income: Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal addresses Curtain Raiser Event of First Farm Cooperative Trade Fair

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, along with Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Choudhary, releasing the brochure of IICTF

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal, has called for a Mass Movement to strengthen the cooperative sector in agriculture. Speaking at the curtain raiser event of India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) in New Delhi today, Commerce & Industry Minister stressed the need for both Ministries of Commerce and Agriculture to work in close coordination to tap the true potential of the cooperative sector.

Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Choudhary, Secretary of Agriculture, Sanjay Agarwal and other senior officials of Ministry of Agriculture were present on this occasion.

Piyush Goyal underlined the need to make farmers and agriculture-based industries self-reliant. He said that in the three consultations held with the Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, after the formation of this Government, both Ministries have committed to establish a framework to double farm exports from ₹ 2.75 lakh crore to about ₹ 7 lakh crore by 2024-2025. Piyush Goyal also announced that a Cooperative Sector Export Promotion Forum will be established as an exchange platform for the cooperatives in India.

Recalling the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in consolidating the cooperative movement of farmers, Piyush Goyal said that agriculture is the priority sector for the Government and it is committed to double the income of the farmers by 2022.

Commerce & Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal said that IICTF is a unique concept and opportunity which will take the mass movement of farm cooperatives to an international level.

On this occasion, the Commerce & Industry Minister along with Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Choudhary, unveiled the logo and released the brochure of IICTF to be held from 11-13 October 2019 in New Delhi. The Commerce & Industry Minister also informed that tribal cooperatives will be provided special concessions in the Trade Fair.

Cooperative sector reform urged to boost agricultural exports through inter-ministerial coordination and an export promotion forum. A national policy initiative urges a mass movement to strengthen agricultural cooperatives through inter-ministerial coordination between commerce and agriculture ministries, the creation of a Cooperative Sector Export Promotion Forum as an exchange platform, and a framework to increase farm exports. Complementary measures include using the India International Cooperatives Trade Fair to internationalise cooperative marketing and providing targeted concessions for tribal cooperatives to support cooperative-led value chain development and higher farmer incomes.