(a) whether the Government proposes to set up vegetables and fruits cooperatives in the country on the lines of existing milk cooperatives to ensure adequate remunerative prices;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the employment generated from these cooperatives;
(c) whether it is a fact that by setting up cooperatives, interests of the marginal farmers can be protected from the network of urban vegetable retailers; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA)
(a): No, Madam.
(b): ‘Cooperation’ is a State subject. Cooperative Societies including fruits and vegetables cooperative societies are being registered under the Cooperative Societies Acts of the respective States. Societies which have jurisdiction in more than one State / Union Territory are registered by the Central Government under Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act. Specific information regarding employment generated by cooperatives is not available.
(c) & (d): India is 2nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world. Fruits and vegetables are perishable agricultural produce with shorter life-span. Due to lack of proper information, logistics, infrastructure, and organized marketing networks, farmers are quite often forced to sell their produce at lower prices to the local consumers. When the produce is large in quantity, the prices go down drastically and farmers often do not get even the cost price. 85% of the farmers in India belong to small and marginal category having less than 1.5 - 2 acres of land. In such situation, Co-operatives provide a viable mechanism to protect them from the network of urban vegetable retailers. Cooperative may provide all requisite information, support, technology and other resources to farmers and facilitate to market their produce at remunerative prices benefitting the farmer members of cooperatives, consumers and community at large.