National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED)

About NAFED:

• National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd.(NAFED) 
• It was established on the auspicious day of Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October 1958.
• Nafed is registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act.
• Nafed was setup with the object to promote Co-operative marketing of agricultural produce to benefit the farmers.
• Agricultural farmers are the main members of Nafed, who have the authority to say in the form of members of the General Body in the working of Nafed.

Objectives of NAFED

The objectives of the NAFED shall be to organize, promote and develop marketing, processing and storage of agricultural, horticultural and forest produce, distribution of agricultural machinery, implements and other inputs, undertake inter-state, import and export trade, wholesale or retail as the case may be and to act and assist for technical advice in agricultural, production for the promotion and the working of its members, partners, associates and cooperative marketing, processing and supply societies in India.  In furtherance of these objectives, the NAFED may undertake one or more of the following activities.

• To facilitate, coordinate and promote the marketing and trading activities of the cooperative institutions, partners and associates in agricultural, other commodities, articles and goods;
• To undertake or promote on its own or on behalf of its member Institutions or the Government or Government Organizations, Inter-State and international trade and commerce and undertake, wherever necessary, sale, purchase, import, export and distribution of agricultural commodities,  horticultural and forest produce, other articles and goods from various sources for pursuing its business activities and to act as the agency for canalization of export and import and inter­state trade of agricultural and other commodities or articles under any scheme formulated by the Government of India or other Government agencies and to facilitate these activities, wherever necessary, to open branches/sub-offices and appoint agents at any place within the country or abroad;
• To undertake purchase, sale and supply of agricultural, marketing and processing requisites, such as manure, seeds, fertilizer, agricultural implements and machinery, packing machinery, construction requisites, processing machinery for agricultural commodities, forest produce, dairy, wool and other animal products;
• To act as warehouseman under the Warehousing Act and own and construct its own godowns and cold storages;
• To act as agent of any Government agency or cooperative institution, for the purchase, sale, storage and distribution of agricultural, horticultural, forest and animal husbandry produce, wool, agricultural requisites and other consumer goods;
• To act as insurance agent and to undertake all such work which is incidental to the same;
• To organize consultancy work in various fields for the benefit of the cooperative institutions in general and for its members in particular;
• To undertake manufacture of agricultural, machinery and implements, processing, packing, etc. and other production requisites and consumer articles by setting up manufacturing units either directly or in collaboration with or as a joint venture with any other agency, including import and distribution of spare-parts and components to up-keep of the machinery/ implements;
• To set up storage units for  storing various commodities  and goods, by itself  or in  collaboration with any other agency in India or abroad;
• To maintain transport units of its own or in collaboration with any other organization in India or abroad for movements of goods on land, sea, air  and operate freight station, container depot and undertake other incidental activities;
• To collaborate with any international agency or a foreign body for development of cooperative marketing, processing and other activities for mutual advantage in India or abroad;
• To undertake marketing research and dissemination of market intelligence;
• To subscribe to the share capital and undertake business collaboration with  cooperative institutions, public, joint and private sector enterprises, if and when considered necessary for fulfilling the objectives of NAFED;
• To arrange for the training of employees of marketing/ processing/supply cooperative societies;
• To establish processing units for processing of agricultural, horticultural and forest produce, wool and allied products;
• To undertake grading, packing, standardization, scientific treatment and process  of agricultural produce and other articles;
• To acquire, take on lease or hire, lands, buildings, fixtures and vehicles and to sell, give on lease or hire them for the business of NAFED.
• To advance loans to its members and other cooperative institutions on the security of goods or otherwise;
• To guarantee loans or advances or  give undertakings to any Society or Company in which the Federation has a shareholding or financial involvements as a promoter to be able to assist its development or expansion or for starting any industrial undertaking by such societies/companies.