Jammu & Kashmir BJP President and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Sat Sharma, raised an important starred question in the Rajya Sabha on cooperative exports and market linkages, underlining the pivotal role of cooperatives in strengthening agriculture and enhancing farmers’ incomes across the country.
Terming it his maiden question in the Upper House, Sat Sharma expressed gratitude for the opportunity and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of Cooperation for taking decisive and result-oriented steps to revive and strengthen the cooperative sector. He emphasized that multiple agencies are working for agricultural development and asked how the collective efforts of the government are translating into tangible benefits for farmers and citizens, particularly through cooperative exports and market access.
Responding to the query, Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Cooperation, said that the government is working with seriousness and commitment to strengthen key sectors such as dairy, fisheries, fertilizers, sugar, and milk production through cooperatives. He informed the House that cooperatives contribute nearly 30% of fertilizer production, 30% of sugar production, and 18% of milk production, many of which have growing demand in international markets.
The Minister highlighted that the absence of multi-state cooperative societies earlier had limited India’s capacity to meet global demand. Addressing this gap, the Modi government created three new multi-state cooperative societies in 2023, promoting high-quality seeds, organic farming, and export-oriented production. He noted that NCL is currently promoting around 40 products, with 13,900 cooperative committees across 31 states now part of this initiative, ensuring fair value and profit-sharing directly to farmers.
Raising a supplementary question, Sat Sharma asserted that NCL plays a paramount role in ensuring profits reach farmers and sought clarity on whether farmers could directly join NCL and what mechanisms are in place for their inclusion.
The Minister replied that quality remains the foremost criterion, for which high-quality seeds are being provided. He affirmed that farmers and farmer groups can join NCL through structured mechanisms and cooperatives, adding that the government is actively working to connect all farmers and farmer collectives. He further explained that there are six categories based on share capital for societies and committees to facilitate smooth participation.
Sat Sharma said that these initiatives reflect the government’s clear intent to empower farmers, strengthen cooperatives, and connect Indian agriculture with global markets, ensuring sustainable income, transparency, and long-term growth for the rural economy.