SBACO –an acronym for Shree Balram Agriculture (Produce and Marketing) Cooperative Society is making a difference in the lives of farmers of five districts of Chhattisgarh in and around Durg.
The multi-purpose co-operative society has set up a bio-fertilizer plant and an agricultural lab over a 60 acre piece of land near Durg and begun selling fertilizer on one hand and testing soil on the other, claimed its Chairman Mr Preetpal Singh Belchandan.
“We are trying now to add value to our members’ products. A farmer is forced to sell his Paddy at a rate of Rs 1300 a quintal which means Rs 13 a kg. If we could through our food processing mechanism make it saleable at the rate of Rs 30 in the market and pass on the benefits to our members, it would be wonderful”, said Belchandan.
We have not so far taken any support from the govt and we work on the basis of members’ support and bank’s loans, said Belchandan. Presently, there are 35 thousand members connected to the SBACO and its authorized share capital counts Rs. 20 crore, he added.
He informed the Shree Balram Agriculture (Produce and Marketing) Cooperative Society was established in January
2011 with 31 members under the Chhattisgarh self reliant Cooperative Act, 1999. In the last three years, we have registered profits, the Belchandan underlined.
The objective of this society is to lend money to farmers to help them set up agriculture based businesses. And after we have found our feet in the field of bio and organic fertilizer, we aim at setting up agro- industries and food-processing units now” he said.
Readers would note that in 2011 the society had been allotted 60 acre of land for the establishment of agricultural business activities and in 2012 the society signed a MoU with Chhattisgarh to undertake agriculture activities.
Belchandan, a well-known face in the state cooperative circle is upbeat that in coming days his cooperative would be able to make a mark on national canvas.
