National Co-operative Exports Limited (NCEL) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) have inked a memorandum of understanding to boost India’s cooperative-led agricultural exports. The pact, signed in the presence of Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, reflects the government’s intent to align cooperative strength with export facilitation.
Abhishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA, and Unupom Kausik, Managing Director of NCEL, formalized the agreement, which seeks to enhance farmer value realization, strengthen rural livelihoods, and position India more competitively in global markets under the newly launched National Cooperation Policy.
The collaboration will focus on training, quality compliance, infrastructure support, market intelligence, and commodity-specific export strategies. Cooperative societies will gain exposure to international standards, food safety norms, and export documentation through workshops and structured programmes.
“By combining NCEL’s grassroots network with APEDA’s expertise, cooperatives can access premium markets and achieve export excellence,” said Pankaj Kumar Bansal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation.
APEDA’s facilitation will integrate with NCEL’s nationwide outreach to streamline compliance across categories such as fruits, vegetables, spices, processed foods, cereals, and animal products. The alliance is expected to expand international branding, increase participation in global trade fairs, and create a stronger export-ready ecosystem for India’s cooperative sector.