Author: SahkarNet

Pune — The President of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), Harshvardhan Patil, has made a compelling case for raising the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar to Rs 42 per kg. This call comes as the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane has been consistently increasing each year, leading to a rise in the production costs of sugar. National Cooperative Sugar Federation has formally submitted this proposal, supported by detailed statistical data, to the central government. The announcement was made following a joint meeting in Pune involving NFCSF officials, Directors of the Union Food and Cooperation…

Union Home Minister Amit Shah assumed his role as the Minister of Cooperation on Tuesday, pledging to strengthen the cooperative sector by effectively implementing grass root-level policies. Krishan Pal, MP from Haryana’s Faridabad, and Murlidhar Mohol, MP from Pune, have been appointed as his two deputies. Shah, a two-time MP from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has held the cooperation portfolio since July 2021, when the ministry was first established. “We laid the groundwork for the development of the cooperative sector in our previous term. In the next five years, our focus will be on ensuring these policies reach the grassroots,” Shah emphasized,…

Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and IDMC Ltd, along with Mr. Kenichiro Toyofuku, Director of Suzuki R&D Center India Pvt Ltd (SRDI), flagged off a Mobile Milk Collection & Cooling System in Anand, Gujarat on Thursday. The event was attended by Executive Directors of NDDB, Shri Sangram Chaudhary, Managing Director of Banas Dairy, and Shri Prakash Maheshwari, Managing Director of IDMC Ltd. System Development & Benefits to Farmers Dr. Shah highlighted that the NDDB conceptualized this innovative system in collaboration with SRDI, with the development executed by NDDB’s wholly-owned subsidiary, IDMC Limited. He emphasized…

A recent dialogue addressing the systemic issues of poor electricity supply to farmers in Rajasthan has recommended the establishment of a cooperative-based distribution model. This model aims to improve the power supply for agricultural consumers and ensure regulatory compliance under the Electricity Act, 2003. The event highlighted the critical need for regulatory responsibility in enhancing electricity supply to the farming sector. Organized by the Center for Energy, Environment and People (CEEP) as part of its ‘Vidyut Samvad’ series, the dialogue focused on understanding the complexities of electricity supply and exploring technical and financial solutions within the power sector. A survey…

The National Level Coordination Committee (NLCC) for the world’s largest grain storage plan held its inaugural meeting on Monday at the Ministry of Cooperation in New Delhi. The World’s largest grain storage plan envisages to transform PACS into Multi-Service Societies. The pilot project has already been implemented in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and Telangana. The meeting was attended by Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, along with the Secretaries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Food and Public Distribution, and Food Processing Industries, as well…

Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman of NDDB and NDDB Dairy Services, along with Shri AV Dharma Reddy, Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Shri S Regupathi, Executive Director of NDDB, Dr. CP Devanand, MD of NDDB Dairy Services, and Shri Thimappa Sura, MD of Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Company Limited, held a meeting in Tirupati. The meeting’s primary focus was the protection and promotion of indigenous cattle breeds. Discussions covered enhancing testing infrastructure, genetic purity testing, disease diagnosis, and the use of advanced reproductive technologies such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer to accelerate genetic improvement in indigenous breeds. A…

Sugar cooperatives have long been central to the political landscape of Maharashtra, with influential figures like former Chief Ministers Vasantdada Patil, S B Chavan, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan etc. all having strong ties to the cooperative sugar industry. Same was the case with most of the Ministers. However these cooperative mills have continued to maintain their pivotal role in Maharashtra elections even now, especially in the ongoing Lok Sabha election 2024 and upcoming assembly elections in late 2024. Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah raised questions about the closure of numerous cooperative sugar mills in Maharashtra, directing his scrutiny at…

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED) collaborated to host a one-day workshop on the Internet-based Dairy Information System (iDIS) in Bhubaneshwar. The event brought together representatives from dairy cooperatives across Odisha. Shri Vijay Amruta Kulange, Managing Director of OMFED, underscored the importance of leveraging data to develop strategies that enhance efficiency and transparency in the cooperative dairy sector. He highlighted the critical role of data utilisation in making informed decisions that can significantly improve operational outcomes. The workshop featured practical sessions on various iDIS modules, allowing participants to gain hands-on…

The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets milk and milk products under the Amul brand, has announced a price increase for fresh pouch milk. Effective from June 3, the price will rise by Rs 2 per litre in all markets across the country. In a release, Amul’s explained that the Rs 2 per litre increase represents a 3-4% hike in the maximum retail price (MRP), which is considerably lower than the average food inflation rate. The company highlighted that it has not raised the prices of fresh pouch milk in major markets since February 2023. The price adjustment…

The Nagaland State Cooperative Bank (NStCB) Ltd inaugurated its 23rd branch at the Shamakok complex, PPC ward, in Longleng on May 29, 2024. In his address as special guest, Deputy Commissioner Dharam Raj emphasized that NStCB is a bank for the people, focusing on financial assistance rather than profit. He highlighted that true development is achievable only through financial inclusion. The Deputy Commissioner noted that while the bank will adhere to all guidelines, it will also offer some flexibility, unlike other banks. He assured that NStCB will provide superior services and loans with better interest rates, urging citizens to take…