The National Cooperative Exports Limited has secured export orders worth Rs 10.3 crore during the third quarter of FY 2025–26 for a range of agricultural commodities, including turmeric, cumin, wheat and millets, the government informed Parliament.
Sharing the details in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah said NCEL was set up to facilitate exports of surplus goods and services produced by cooperative societies and to provide them access to global markets. The agency procures agricultural and allied commodities directly from cooperative societies and exports them in bulk, without using its own brand.
The Minister noted that NCEL enables primary cooperative societies to participate in foreign trade without having to navigate complex legal or procedural requirements. Cooperatives can route their exports through NCEL, which acts as a centralized export platform.
Membership criteria for onboarding cooperatives are laid down in Clause 19 of NCEL’s Byelaws. A primary cooperative society can become a member by purchasing one share with a face value of Rs 10,000 and paying a one-time, non-refundable admission fee of Rs 500, as specified under Clause 7(3) of the Byelaws.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening market linkages for cooperatives and boosting export opportunities for Indian agricultural produce.
