IFFCO:
Indian Farmers' Success Story
During mid- sixties the co-operative
sector in India was responsible for distribution
of 70 per cent of fertilisers consumed in the
country. This Sector had adequate infrastructure
to distribute fertilisers but had no production
facilities of its own and hence dependent on
public/private Sectors for supplies. To overcome
this lacuna and to bridge the demand supply
gap in the country, a new co-operative society
was conceived to specifically cater to the requirements
of farmers. It was an unique venture in which
the farmers of the country through their own
co-operative societies created this new institution
to safeguard their interests. The number of
co-operative societies associated with IFFCO
have risen from 57 in 1967 to more than 36,000
now.
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative
Limited (IFFCO) was created on November 3, 1967
as a multi-unit co-operative society engaged
in production and distribution of fertilisers.
The byelaws of the Society provide a broad frame
work for the activities of IFFCO as a Cooperative
Society. The main emphasis is on production
and distribution of fertilisers.
IFFCO commissioned the ammonia
- urea complex at Kalol and the NPK/DAP plant
at Kandla both in the state of Gujarat in 1975.
Another ammonia - urea complex was set up at
Phulpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1981.
The ammonia - urea unit at Aonla was commissioned
in 1988. The annual installed capacity of all
the plants was 1.62 million tonne of Urea and
NPK/DAP equivalent to 309 thousand tonne of
phosphates.
In 1993 IFFCO had drawn up
a major expansion programme of all the four
plants under overall aegis of IFFCO VISION 2000
. The expansion projects at Aonla, Kalol and
Phulpur have been completed on schedule. The
latest feather in the cap of IFFCO was completion
of Kandla Phase-II on 5th August 1999 which
has heralded realisation of all the objectives
set forth under VISION - 2000. As per the tradition
of IFFCO the project was completed more than
two months ahead of schedule. As a result of
these expansion projects IFFCO's annual capacity
has been increased to 3.69 million tonne of
Urea and NPK/DAP equivalent to 825 thousand
tonne of phosphates.
The distribution of IFFCO's
fertiliser is undertaken through over 35,000
co-operative societies. The entire activities
of Distribution, Sales and Promotion are co-ordinated
by Marketing Central Office (MKCO) at New Delhi
assisted by the Marketing offices in the field.
In addition, essential agro-inputs for crop
production are made available to the farmers
through a chain of 167 Farmers Service Centre
(FSC). IFFCO obsessively nurtures its relations
with farmers and undertakes a large number of
agricultural extension activities for their
benefit every year.
At IFFCO, the thirst for ever improving the
services to farmers and member co-operatives
is insatiable, commitment to quality is insurmountable
and harnessing of mother earths' bounty to drive
hunger away from India in an ecologically sustainable
manner is the prime mission.
IFFCO, to day, is a leading
player in India's fertiliser industry and is
making substantial contribution to the efforts
of Indian Government to increase foodgrain production
in the country.
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