A high-level committee meeting on proposed changes to Maharashtra’s cooperative policy was held on Wednesday at the State Cooperative Bank in Mumbai, chaired by Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil in the presence of Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal.
The meeting reviewed key issues across various segments of the cooperative sector, featuring detailed presentations and a comprehensive assessment of reforms aimed at strengthening the ecosystem.
Patil stated that the upcoming cooperative policy will be inclusive, participatory, and credible, ensuring the involvement of all stakeholders while making the sector more dynamic and future-ready.
Rawal emphasized the need to expand the role of cooperatives in agro-processing to drive value addition and improve price realization for farmers in both domestic and global markets. He noted that revitalizing the sector will require structural reforms, modernization, and strong branding initiatives.
He further highlighted that greater participation of consumer cooperatives in branding, packaging, storage, processing, and marketing can enable farmers to directly access markets and secure better returns.
The meeting signals a clear policy shift toward competitiveness, integration, and long-term sustainability in Maharashtra’s cooperative sector.