Target: double farmers income by 2024-25

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called for a Mass Movement to strengthen the cooperative sector in agriculture sector and tap its true potential to double farmers’ income to Rs.7 lakh crore by 2024-25.

Speaking at the curtain raiser event of India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) in New Delhi on 2 July 2019, he stressed the need for both Ministries of Commerce and Agriculture to work in close coordination to tap the true potential of the cooperative sector.

Goyal underlined the need to make farmers and agriculture-based industries self-reliant.

He said that following three consultations held recently, he and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, have committed to establish a framework to double farm exports from Rs.2.75 lakh crore to about Rs.7 lakh crore by 2024-2025.

Piyush Goyal also announced that a Cooperative Sector Export Promotion Forum will be established as an exchange platform for the cooperatives in India.

Goyal said that IICTF is a unique concept and opportunity which will take the mass movement of farm cooperatives to an international level.

On this occasion, the Commerce & Industry Minister along with Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Choudhary, unveiled the logo and released the brochure of IICTF to be held from 11-13 October 2019 in New Delhi.

He also informed that tribal cooperatives will be provided special concessions in the Trade Fair. fiinews.com