COOPERATIVES 2.0
Business Today|August 22, 2021
THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE POLICY, FUNDING SUPPORT AND LEGISLATIVE MEASURES TO TURN COOPERATIVES MORE TRANSPARENT AND PROFESSIONAL CAN BOOST GROWTH IN A BIG WAY
JOE C. MATHEW
COOPERATIVES 2.0

We have 33 supermarkets at the moment. The target is 1,500 in five years.” S.B. Jayaraj, who is gung-ho about his organisation’s plans for Kerala, is not just another retailer. He is the general secretary of the Kerala chapter of Sahakar Bharati — a pan-India body that aims at strengthening the cooperative movement in India, and an affiliate of the RSS, the ideological parent of the ruling BJP. Jayaraj has just got Ernakulam-based Bharath Agro Processing and Marketing Cooperative (BAMCO) registered as a multistate cooperative society. The first supermarket under the new entity has been opened recently. With over two dozen Grameen Samrudhi stores mentored by Sahakar Bharati since 2017 also being brought under the BAMCO umbrella, the society is all set to have its presence felt in the state.

In fact, Sahakar Bharati’s plans for the state are more holistic. “We have almost 25 farmer producer organisations (FPOs) sanctioned, and some are already functional in various districts of Kerala. Each FPO has 350-750 farmers registered as shareholders. The farmers will be harvesting, procuring, value-adding their produce through their FPOs. We expect farmers’ income to double,” says Jayaraj. BAMCO will eventually market the products sourced from Sahakar Bharati-mentored FPOs and cooperatives that will be established not only in Kerala, but in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and even Lakshadweep. In the long run, the organisation wants to mentor cooperative societies that go beyond the agri-rural sector and run hospitals, schools and production units, adds Jayaraj.

This story is from the August 22, 2021 edition of Business Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 22, 2021 edition of Business Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BUSINESS TODAYView All
"Focus on the challenge of each customer"
Business Today India

"Focus on the challenge of each customer"

SHASHANK KUMAR MD & CO-FOUNDER I RAZORPAY Razorpay is India's first full-stack financial solutions company

time-read
1 min  |
December 08, 2024
PEDAL ON THE FUTURE
Business Today India

PEDAL ON THE FUTURE

THE MG WINDSOR EV, WITH ITS FUTURISTIC AND MINIMALIST DESIGN, COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY

time-read
1 min  |
December 08, 2024
BREATHE EASY
Business Today India

BREATHE EASY

Whether you're battling allergies, looking to remove pollutants, or simply want to breathe easier, the right air purifier can make a difference

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
The Taste of India in a Glass
Business Today India

The Taste of India in a Glass

FROM ROYAL LIQUEURS TO DISTILLED MAHUA, INDIAN HERITAGE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE HAVING THEIR DAY IN THE SUN

time-read
4 mins  |
December 08, 2024
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
Business Today India

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

IN 2025, INVESTORS WILL NEED TO FACTOR IN VOLATILITY ACROSS ASSET CLASSES

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
MISSING ADVISORS
Business Today India

MISSING ADVISORS

INDIA HAS JUST ONE INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR NEARLY EVERY 200,000 INVESTORS. AT A TIME WHEN RETAIL PARTICIPATION IN THE STOCK MARKETS IS BOOMING, THIS ASSUMES SIGNIFICANCE

time-read
7 mins  |
December 08, 2024
TURNING A CORNER
Business Today India

TURNING A CORNER

SHARED ELECTRIC MOBILITY START-UP YULU'S SHIFT TO SERVICING THE QUICK COMMERCE SECTOR IS HELPING IT GROW FAST. IT IS NOW FOCUSSING ON IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY FEATURES AS IT TURNS EBITDA POSITIVE

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
REALITY CHECK
Business Today India

REALITY CHECK

INDIAN STOCK MARKETS PLUNGED BEGINNING OCTOBER FOR A HOST OF REASONS, INCLUDING A FALL IN FII OWNERSHIP. HOW DEEP WILL THE CORRECTION BE?

time-read
6 mins  |
December 08, 2024
TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO
Business Today India

TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO

The return of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has put the global economy on edge. India, too, is unlikely to remain unaffected. How will policymakers meet this latest challenge?

time-read
9 mins  |
December 08, 2024
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Business Today India

"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”

Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more

time-read
10 mins  |
December 08, 2024