PM Modi praises IFFCO's efforts in farmers upliftment

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), world's largest processed fertilizer cooperative, has been praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their efforts and initiatives to train the farming community on the right use of fertilizers, advanced techniques and cash-less transactions with the aim of doubling farmers' income by 2022.

"IFFCO's contribution in the upliftment of farmers and farmer co-operatives is praiseworthy," said Modi in a message on the occasion of the Cooperative's golden jubilee year.

Founded in 1967 with just 57 cooperatives, IFFCO today is an amalgamation of over 36,000 Indian cooperatives.On its 50th year, it is conducting training programmes for farmers at 125 locations across the country.IFFCO, which has five plants in India and three overseas, posted a turnover of over Rs 22,500 crore during last fiscal.

Its total fertiliser production stood at around 85 lakh tonnes and it sold nearly 110 lakh tonnes last fiscal.Apart from its core business of manufacturing and selling fertilisers, IFFCO is also engaged in general insurance to rural telecom and rural retail businesses.

The cooperative has also played an important role in implementation of urea neem-coating programme rolled out by the government to curb black marketing of urea, the prime minister said in his letter to IFFCO managing director U S Awasthi.

Modi praised IFFCO for conducting programmes across the country to train farmers and co-operative members about digitisation and cash-less transactions in the agri sector and right use of soil nutrients, among others.

Stating that the government has fixed a target to double farmers income by 2022, Modi said IFFCOs initiatives to connect farmers with best farm techniques would be helpful in achieving this goal.