National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) has signed an MoU with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) with an aim to synergize the activities in the interest of agriculture and allied sectors for the farmers.
APEDA would facilitate exports by the cooperatives identified and trained by NCUI. NCUI Twitter handle reacted “NCUI signs MoU with APEDA to jointly conduct a variety of activities – mainly related with HRD – for bringing better value to the stakeholders in line with the policies of the Govt.”
The MoU was signed by Tarun Bajaj, Director APEDA and N.Satyanarayana, Chief Executive, NCUI. The areas of Cooperation include working together to achieve the goal of Doubling the Farmers Income as set out by the Government in its Agri Export Policy (AEP) by providing the benefit for export opportunities to farmers.
To work towards engaging Cooperatives involved in agricultural production for improving the quality of agri-produce and its consolidation for better price realization to the farmer. APEDA would facilitate exports by the cooperatives identified and trained by NCUI, reads the details of the MoU.
APEDA shall facilitate necessary certifications of agri-produce, organic produce/ farm lands by the cooperatives identified by NCUI and would work towards Capacity Development of Agri-Processing and Allied Cooperative Societies/SHGs by organizing various Awareness Programs, Skill Development Programs and Workshops at regional, state and national levels.
The aim of the collaboration is to showcase to the Indian and global markets, the products and services being produced/offered by Agri-Produce/Processing Cooperatives by organizing Exhibitions/Trade Fairs/B2B meetings in various parts of the country as mutually decided by both the parties from time to time at regional/state/national levels.
Compilation of a Nation-wide Directory of Agri-Produce/Processing Cooperatives would also be taken up. The PIB release on the issue adds “NCUI is the apex organization of the Cooperative Movement of India registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 whose main objective is to promote and to develop the cooperative movement in India.”
“APEDA has been focusing on collaborative approach to bring synergy with a number of organisations and institutions having inherent professional and specialised expertise in different areas for capacity building of various stakeholders and providing solutions for addressing some of the identified interventions for the development of Agriculture and its export enhancement in consonance with the objectives set under Agri Export Policy announced by Government of India”, PIB says about APEDA.
