What is the role of National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL)?

National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) signed an MoU to forge a strategic partnership aimed at elevating India’s cooperative-led agricultural exports.

National Cooperative Exports Limited

• National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) was created to function as an umbrella organisation for promoting exports by the entire cooperative sector of the country.

• NCEL was set up with the approval of the Union government and registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Society Act, 2002 on January 25, 2023. 

• It is jointly promoted by some of the leading cooperative societies in the country, namely, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) popularly known as AMUL Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED). 

• National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), a statutory corporation under the Ministry of Cooperation, is one of its promoter members.

• The authorised share capital of NCEL is Rs 2,000 crore. 

• Cooperatives at all levels, from primary to national, that are interested in export activities will be eligible to join NCEL as members.

• The registered office of the NCEL is in New Delhi. 

• By acting as an umbrella organisation, setting up of NCEL will promote exports from the cooperative sector at all levels and across all sectors.

• This will help in maximising the export potential of Indian cooperatives in overseas markets. This will also help cooperatives reap the benefits of several export-related schemes, programmes, initiatives and policies of various ministries of the government of India in a focused manner through the ‘whole-of-government approach’.

• NCEL will not only focus on making profits from exports but also handhold farmers to manufacture products for the export market.

• The NCEL will help in arranging finance for export activities, providing technical guidance, helping in training and capacity building, developing and maintaining a market intelligence system, implementing related government schemes, and undertaking any other such activities which will increase exports from the cooperative sector and other related entities.

What is APEDA?

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the government under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by Parliament in December 1985. The Act came into effect on February 13, 1986.

• APEDA, which replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC), has its headquarters in New Delhi.

• It has 16 regional offices across India.

APEDA has been entrusted with the responsibility of export promotion and development of following scheduled products:

i) Fruits, Vegetables and their Products

ii) Meat and Meat Products

iii) Poultry and Poultry Products

iv) Dairy Products

v) Confectionery, Biscuits and Bakery Products

vi) Honey, Jaggery and Sugar Products

vii) Cocoa and its products, chocolates of all kinds

viii) Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

ix) Cereal and Cereal Products

x) Groundnuts, Peanuts and Walnuts

xi) Pickles, Papads and Chutneys

xii) Guar Gum

xiii) Floriculture and Floriculture Products

xiv) Herbal and Medicinal Plants

xv) De-oiled rice bran

xvi) Green pepper in brine

xvii) Cashew Nuts and its Products.

• In addition to this, APEDA has been entrusted with the responsibility to monitor the import of sugar as well.

• APEDA also functions as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for the implementation of accreditation of the Certification Bodies under National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for organic exports.

Highlights of the MoU:

• The MoU empowers NCEL with APEDA’s technical expertise and policy support, enabling its members to achieve export excellence, access new markets, and secure premium value for their produce.

• The partnership will leverage NCEL’s role as the national umbrella organisation for cooperative exports and APEDA’s mandate to facilitate market development and export promotion to drive export readiness, branding, infrastructure augmentation, and capacity building across India’s cooperative sector. 

• Aligning NCEL’s network with APEDA’s export facilitation will enhance value realisation for farmers, bolster rural livelihoods, and strengthen India’s position in international markets in line with the objectives of the newly launched National Cooperation Policy.

• The partnership will focus on capacity building and training, quality compliance for export, infrastructure support and revival, participation in international trade fairs, international branding and market positioning, market intelligence and data analytics, and commodity-specific export strategy formulation.

• Through this MoU, cooperative societies will gain insights into global quality standards, food safety, and export documentation through structured training programmes and workshops.

• APEDA’s export facilitation efforts will be integrated with NCEL’s outreach network to streamline compliance for fruits, vegetables, spices, processed foods, cereals, and animal products.