Guwahati, Aug 28 (PTI) The Assam State Cooperative Federation (ASCOF) and the National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL) on Thursday signed an MoU to strengthen the cooperative movement in the state, and enhance the global reach of agricultural and allied products.

The agreement is envisaged to create a comprehensive ecosystem for channeling Assam’s diverse and unique farm produce to international markets, thereby unlocking new opportunities for farmers, cooperatives and allied stakeholders, an official release said.

The collaboration will enable Assam’s unique varieties of rice, edible bamboo, ginger, and turmeric – known for their quality and distinctive attributes – to gain greater visibility and acceptance in global markets, it said.

The MoU focuses on structured marketing strategies, brand-building initiatives and streamlined export processes, which will not only strengthen Assam’s agri-export potential, but also position its cooperatives as reliable contributors to India’s export economy, the release said.

A key feature of the partnership is its focus on empowering grassroots institutions by bringing export-oriented cooperatives, Farmer Producer Cooperatives (FPCs), and luster Level Federations (CLFs) into the fold.

The initiative will ensure that farmers and producers are treated not merely as workers, but as shareholders and owners in the export value chain, it said.

This participatory approach is designed to enhance farmer incomes, build sustainable livelihoods and foster inclusive economic growth.

The agreement also embodies the principle of “cooperation among cooperatives” – institutions at different levels working in synergy to achieve shared objectives.

It is firmly aligned with the Ministry of Cooperation’s guiding vision of ‘Sahakar se Samriddhi’.

The MoU supports the broader national aspiration of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, by promoting value addition, strengthening rural economies, and elevating India’s position in international trade, the release added. PTI DG RBT

Cooperative exports initiative expands Assam agriproduct access to international markets, promoting farmer ownership and streamlined export processes. MoU creates an integrated export ecosystem for Assam's agricultural produce by implementing structured marketing, brand-building and streamlined export processes to strengthen cooperatives' participation in international trade; it mandates inclusion of export-oriented cooperatives, Farmer Producer Cooperatives and Community Level Federations and requires treating producers as farmers as shareholders within the export value chain while promoting cooperation among cooperatives, value addition and rural capacity building to enhance incomes and livelihoods.