Gangtok, September 12 (IPR): Minister for Cooperation Department and Rural Development Department Mr Arun Kumar Upreti graced the Buyer-Seller Meet for Cooperative Societies, here in Gangtok today.
The objective of Buyer-Seller Meet was to create a platform set by Cooperation Department to stir interaction between the buyers and sellers which will help them to know the bottlenecks in terms of their sale and to facilitate Business to Business interaction between sellers and buyers. The Meet also sets the stage for sellers to have access to the market in the State through Cooperation Department and other stakeholders to assist them in packaging and marketing their products.
The Minister, in his addres, thanked the Officers and Officials of Cooperation Department for this historic event. The Minister stated that today's programme aligns with the Chief Minister's vision of 'One Family, One Entrepreneur.'
The Minister encouraged sellers to focus on the domestic market, emphasising the importance of local hoteliers and shopkeepers supporting local products to drive the state's economic growth. He advised sellers to be patient as establishing a new business takes time. To facilitate market penetration, the Minister recommended sellers consider commission-based transactions with local shops and work on reducing production costs to make their products more competitive locally.
The Minister encouraged sellers to leverage Sikkim's prestigious 'Organic' brand, highlighting its potential to give their products a competitive edge in the market. In his final remarks, he appealed to hoteliers to support local products, emphasising how this can contribute to boosting the state's GDP.
Advisor Cooperation Department, Mr Shyam Kumar Pradhan encouraged sellers to partner with key stakeholders like Sikkim State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd. (SIMFED) and Denzong Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd.(DACS) for packaging and marketing, highlighting benefits like streamlined processes and avoiding GST registration complexities. He advised against individual selling due to limited quantities unable to meet market demands. Instead, he suggested sellers unite under the 'Organic Sikkim' umbrella, enabling larger market reach and potential exports beyond the state. In closing, he expressed gratitude to attendees and hoped the programme yielded fruitful outcomes for sellers and stakeholders alike.
Chairman Cooperation Department Ms Bidya Biswakarma expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister, Cooperation Minister, Secretary of Cooperation, and every Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) member for their contributions making the event a success. She commended the Government of Sikkim's efforts in driving societal change through grassroots women empowerment initiatives. The Chairman praised the impressive packaging of local products, showcasing their potential. Looking ahead, she expressed hope that the Cooperation Department would replicate such programmes at district, block, and GPU levels. In conclusion, she urged Cooperative Societies and government departments to collaborate towards realizing 'Sunalo, Samriddha ani Samartha Sikkim'.
In her address, the Secretary of the Cooperation Department, Ms Gloria Namchu warmly welcomed all the dignitaries to the inaugural Buyer-Seller Meet, a day-long event marking a historic first for Sikkim's Cooperative Societies. She highlighted that the programme aimed to forge vital connections between Cooperative Societies and various state government departments. The Secretary outlined the event's objectives, referencing the Central Government's schemes designed to drive prosperity through cooperatives, contributing to the state's GDP – notably observing this year as the International Year of Cooperatives. She emphasised fostering market access for local products, expressing optimism that the meet would benefit both sellers and buyers, ultimately promoting Sikkim's local produce.
In the second session, the Secretary emphasised to sellers the importance of maintaining high standards of quality, consistency, and hygiene in product-making. She encouraged Cooperative Societies to partner with stakeholders like SIMFED and DACS for packaging and marketing, highlighting the potential for mutual benefits among sellers and involved parties. Additionally, the Secretary advised Cooperative Societies to focus on enhancing their products through improved packaging and marketing strategies, thereby boosting their sales potential.
During the course of the programme, a presentation on scope of Value-Addition and Product Development was presented by Cooperative Societies MD and CEO IIRC Kolkata and Consultant MSME Mr Srijan Das, wherein he presented a power point presentation to speak on issues such as Value Addition, Central and State Schemes, Products Packaging and bottlenecks faced by the Cooperative Societies.
The programme saw the release of various products - Bamboo Craft from Berfok Lingdum MPCS Ltd VDVK Mangan, Honey from Padamchey MPCS Ltd Pakyong, Mustard Oil from Salghari MPCS Ltd Namchi and Moringa Powder from Tashiding MPCS Ltd Gyalshing.
Three MPCS namely Luing Perbing MPCS Ltd, Kitam MPCS Ltd, and Polok Borung MPCS were also felicitated.
During the second session, a seminar for Cooperative Societies and VDVK representatives was conducted wherein Managing Director GFPF Government of Sikkim, Deputy Director Spices Board of Sikkim and Managing Director DACS apprised everyone about various issues such as science on food production, Hygiene and Packaging, Nutritional facts, Shelf Life of packaged foods, Consistency and Quality of food products, Organic Branding and DACS distribution of local products to Army personnel.
The day saw the presence of OSD Cooperation Department Mr Stephen Raj Karki, Principal Registrar Cooperation Department, Registrars, Senior Officers, representatives from SIMFED, Spices Board of India, DACS, Sikkim Milk Union, Hotel Owners, FPOs, Cooperative Societies and MPCS Ltd.