Success Stories of Farmers Producer Company
Authors: Anirban Mukherjee¹, Premlata Singh², Kumari Shubha^3
1Scientist, ICAR-VPKAS, Almora; ²Head, Division of Agricultural Extension, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi; ³Scientist ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi

Success story 1

Mahila Umang Producer Company Ltd:

Mahila Umang Producer Company is established at Almora district of Uttarakhand, India. The company is fully operated by the hill women of Uttarakhand. There were 1464 members associated in this company. The company was established as a formal Farmer Producer Company in the year 2009 by the help of the promoting Non-government Organisation ‘Grassroots’. Before that it was working as a conglomerate of SHGs. Umang started the journey with the hand holding of Grassroots which helped them a lot to mobilize the hill women to explore their potential. It was initiated in 2001 as a group of non-profit Self-Help Groups referred to as Mahila Umang Samiti. However, further support to the pilot initiatives as future plans for additional growth, efforts were created to remodel the business ventures of this non-profit group to an additional acceptable kind of organization resulting in the establishment of a for-profit Producers Company that was formally registered on 9th January, 2009, under section IX A of the companies Act,1956.

Umang is fully operated and managed by hill women. The FPC is working as an institute ownership model There are 12 BODs who take the major decisions of product development, processing, marketing and reinvestment. There are 12 watershed area in which a range of 11-22 SHG each are formed. A total 208 SHGs are now working together in Umang covering 1464 members. The offerings made by Umang are broadly classified as following four business units: 1. Hand knit 2. Processed fruits, 3.Hill foods, 4.Honey and livelihood programme.

Success Story 2

Hardol Milk Producer Company Ltd.

Hardol Milk Producer Company Ltd. was established in 2011 by the help of Madhya Pradesh District Poverty Initiative Program (MP-DPIP) under rural livelihood mission. The company is working in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. Initially, the company was established with only 120 members and the turnover was Rs 0.30 crores and currently the company has enhanced the membership up to 432 and turnover Rs 0.95 crores.

Like other FPCs the Hardol Agriculture & Marketing Producer Company is guided and governed by a team of 5 Board of Directors (BOD) which consists of the milk producers of different clusters. The aim of the company is to enhance milk producers income on a sustainable basis.

The company also follows individual ownership model (Fig 4.4) of FPC in which farmers are directly forming company and the company is governed by BODs helped by CEO and his office staff for functioning like procurement of milk, processing and marketing activities and administrative works.

The company has collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Sate Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited (Sanchi), Sterling Agro Industries Ltd’s (NOVA), and PARAS Dairy. It helps the milk growers to provide services like artificial insemination with quality semen, providing balanced feeds to the milk growers (Sudana), cattle medical camps and trainings for the milk growers.

Success Story 3

Vasundhara Agri-Horti Producer Company Ltd

Vasundhara Agri-Horti Producer Company Limited is a pioneering organisation functioning for the remuneration of farmers’ family in tribal areas across various states of India. The company was established in July, 2004 with full help of BAIF (Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation) organization. Presently there are 55 producer groups consisting of 41,000 farmers from the state of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The turnover of the company is presently Rs 2.81 crores.

With the intention of sustainable development of farmers BIAF has started activities and programmes. One of its pioneering efforts is Wadi, a multi component development model centered around agri-horti-forestry in family-owned plots of around 4000 square kilo metre started in Navsari district of Gujarat and then expanded to other districts of Gujarat. The success of Wadi showed a way out for organizing the people for development. Several such models were replicated successfully in different states. In 2004 under company registration act it was registered as a company.

VAPCOL is managed by BODs comprising farmers representing geographical cluster of members, nominees of promoting institutions and invited experts. So farmer directors are elected in an annual general meeting (AGM). The elected director select a expert for technical advice and guidance to join the Board. The CEO of the company is appointed by the Board.

The promoting organization BIAF has evolved from chief promoter and facilitator of the company to financial and business advisor for its management team. BIAF has developed the Financial Management System (FMS) for VAPCOL and deputed core staff.

The company produces cashew, mango, and amla value added products. The company has both national and international market exposure. The company provides the marketing and financial assistance and managerial support to the members, It also helps in training the members in value addition of produce and supply of inputs.




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