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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday announced that the two major cooperative brands, the 'Bharat' brand of National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Amul's 'Amul' brand, can now supply organic food to the public.
The Union Home Minister was speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NCOL, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and the Chhattisgarh Government. Shah stated that over the next four years, certified organic grains that have been thoroughly tested will be introduced into Indian markets. He highlighted that the agreement aims to benefit Adivasi farmers. "A lot of products started appearing in the market claiming to be organic, but people remained doubtful. While consumers were ready to pay a premium for organic products, there was no certification system in place. Farmers, in turn, could not receive fair prices as consumers were unsure about the authenticity of the products," Shah said. "To address this trust deficit, we established National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL). Now, the two leading cooperative brands -- the 'Bharat' brand of NCOL and Amul's 'Amul' brand -- can deliver organic food. Within the next four years, certified organic grains that are thoroughly tested will be available in every district in Indian markets. Currently, 16 organic products are available online. Whenever you buy a product from the 'Bharat' or 'Amul' brand, you can be assured it is tested and certified. This MoU has been signed to uplift Adivasi farmers," he added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Chhattisgarh, from December 14 to 16. He arrived in Raipur on Saturday. The NCOL aims to enhance the returns for farmers by providing organic producers and farmers' organisations direct access to markets. By leveraging strong national and international branding, members are expected to achieve better earnings for their organic produce. NCOL will serve as an umbrella organisation, managing the supply chain of organic products produced by cooperative societies and institutions across India. It will work in collaboration with relevant Ministries under the Government of India's 'Whole of Government Approach' to aggregate, brand, and market organic products. Any cooperative society or association of individuals (as permitted by the Central Registrar) can become a member of NCOL. As of now, approximately 2,000 cooperative societies have joined NCOL or have applied for membership. NCOL's objectives will be realised through initiatives like creating a knowledge repository, conducting research and development, and offering comprehensive support to cooperatives and associated companies producing organic products. This support will include financing, capacity building, technical guidance, and the development of market intelligence systems. NCOL was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, on January 25, 2024. Three major cooperative organisations -- the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd (NCCF), the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) -- along with two statutory bodies, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), have jointly promoted NCOL. (ANI)
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