Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah, while addressing the State-Level Cooperative Conference in Bhopal, announced that the Modi government has established three new multi-state cooperative institutions. These initiatives aim to significantly enhance farmers’ income and participation in the coming years.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Madhya Pradesh Cooperative Dairy Federation (MPCDF). This agreement aims to expand cooperative dairies to every village in Madhya Pradesh. As a result, milk production and processing capacities will increase, directly benefiting the income of farmers.
These institutions aim to empower even small farmers, with land holdings up to 2.5 acres, to participate in seed production and high-value markets.
NCEL and NCOL to Surpass Amul in the Future: Shri Shah expressed confidence that in the next 20 years, institutions like NCEL and NCOL will grow to be larger than Amul. These cooperatives will provide farmers with fair pricing, global platforms, and ensure that the profits directly reach their bank accounts.
Establishment of Tribhuvan Cooperative University: The Minister also announced the formation of Tribhuvan Cooperative University, where professionals working in the cooperative sector—such as accountants, dairy engineers, veterinarians, and agricultural scientists—will receive skill-based training focused on cooperative development.
Madhya Pradesh Produces 5.5 Crore Litres of Milk Daily: Currently, Madhya Pradesh produces about 5.5 crore litres of milk daily, contributing 9% of the country’s total milk production. However, less than 1% of this milk is currently handled by cooperative dairies. Shri Shah emphasized the government’s goal of connecting every village to a cooperative dairy and promoting the sale of value-added dairy products like paneer, curd, buttermilk, and lassi to increase farmers’ earnings.
Goal to Expand Dairy Cooperatives to 83% of Villages: At present, only 17% of villages in the state have milk collection infrastructure. With the signing of the MoU, it is now possible to extend cooperative dairy networks to 83% of villages. The target is to establish Primary Milk Producer Societies in 50% of villages over the next five years, which will significantly enhance milk processing capacity and ensure the prosperity of farmers.
