Amit Shah urges Keralam to leverage cooperative network for agriculture and blue economy growth

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah at the launch of the SHE-Mart and multiple National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) initiatives in Kollam on Saturday. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (September 26) invited Keralam’s Cooperation Minister to New Delhi to formulate a comprehensive strategy integrating various central schemes aimed at bolstering the State’s cooperative sector. Speaking at the launch of the SHE-Mart initiative and multiple National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF) schemes designed to broaden market access for women-led rural enterprises, Mr. Shah said that the Union government is ready to guide and support Keralam, particularly in the seed and organic farming sectors.Addressing the gathering at Kundara, Mr. Shah observed that Keralam possessed a remarkably robust foundation within the cooperative movement, subsequently urging the State government to aggressively harness the vast, untapped potential spanning sectors from agriculture to fisheries. Emphasising that Keralam, anchored by its rich and enduring cooperative tradition, was exceptionally well-positioned to reap the benefits of various central government initiatives, he pointed out that over 23,000 active cooperative units are currently functioning across the State. Vanitham She MartsReferring to the pivotal role played by the NCCF in championing women entrepreneurs, he noted that the organisation is actively broadening its retail footprint across the nation. He explained that the newly established Vanitham She Marts are designed to offer women a direct, unhindered pathway to lucrative markets for their homegrown products. Additionally, he emphasised that these goods will be procured straight from the primary producers and farmers, ensuring fairness, while local cooperative institutions can actively facilitate the creation of much stronger and more sustainable market linkages.Turning his attention to Keralam’s extensive coastline, the Minister highlighted the State’s immense, untapped potential within the fishing sector, asserting that the rapidly expanding blue economy offers yet another fertile domain for cooperative growth. He urged the State’s Cooperation Minister to thoroughly explore these strategic possibilities during his upcoming discussions in Delhi, laying special emphasis on expanding the cooperative framework to further incorporate and uplift the fisheries industry. Published - September 26, 2026 07:09 pm IST