Come October, Uttarakhand Cooperative Federation (UCF) would begin procuring a host of items directly from the farmers. UCF purchase centres are being spruced up across the state for the purpose, said its MD M P Tripathi.
Items being procured include finger millets, barnyard millet, pulses, soybean, rajma from the farmers of the state from 1st October 2021. In this regard, the UCF Chairman has given the direction to the purchasing centres to make further arrangements.
Talking to Indian Cooperative the UCF MD M P Tripathi said, “the current management is active taking the federation to newer heights by helping the farmers of the state. He also patted himself on the back and said “As soon as I took the charge of MD, with the support of board members and others, I introduced many development projects”.
Interestingly, UCF is also setting up a millet processing unit at Halduchaur. “Our plan is to collect these items directly from the farmers and do packaging as well as marketing, so that farmers get better rates for their produce”, Tripathi said.
Tripathy informed that UCF is in the process of developing software with an objective to make a bridge between buyers and sellers.
UCF has also prepared a detailed project report to open a 50 bedded hospital at Halduchaur under the Ayushman scheme. “We plan to open a wellness centre at Ranikhet, and another one at Ratura”, Tripathy informed.
The UCF MD said that purchasing centres will be opened before 1st October. Besides millets, UCF will purchase paddy through purchase and sale co-ops, central cooperative societies, consumer stores, cooperative unions, supply stores and others. We have also given instruction to the officials that farmers do not face any problem at the paddy purchasing centres.
“Arrangements for timely payment would be ensured for the farmers from whom paddy is to be purchased”.
It is worth mentioning that the role of former Chairman of UCF late Pramod Kumar Singh can’t be forgotten. He did a lot for the federation and he was the man responsible for shifting the federation office to a sprawling building.
Uttarakhand State Co-operative Federation Ltd (UCF) is the multipurpose Federation of Uttarakhand. UCF was registered on 15th July 2002 after bifurcation from U.P. Co-operative Federation Ltd, (PCF) Lucknow as a result of formation of Uttarakhand State on 9 November 2000.
