Newly established cooperatives increase but operational efficiency remains limited

On the morning of April 13, under the chairmanship of comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, the supervision delegation of the Provincial People's Council had a working session with the Provincial Cooperative Union on the operational efficiency of cooperatives in the area from 2012-2017.

As of December 31, 2017, the total number of cooperatives in the province was 645, including 470 agricultural cooperatives, 116 non-agricultural cooperatives and 59 People's Credit Funds with about 195,000 members, creating jobs for 32,635 regular workers...

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong chaired the meeting. Photo: Thanh Le

According to the assessment of the Provincial Cooperative Union, after 6 years of implementing the 2012 Law on Cooperatives and implementing the Project on innovation and development of cooperatives in Nghe An province for the period 2014 - 2020, in localities, many cooperative models have appeared that are methodical, in accordance with the law, operate effectively, have joint venture contracts, and cooperate with enterprises, etc.

Some cooperatives have played an important role in organizing production to solve employment in rural areas (craft village cooperatives). Many cooperatives have organized effective credit activities, supporting timely capital supply for production members, solving difficulties in daily life, contributing to eliminating black credit in rural areas, ensuring social security and implementing the National Target Program on new rural construction.

With the function assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, in recent times, the Provincial Cooperative Union together with departments and branches has organized training courses, fostered and improved capacity for more than 32,000 officials of cooperatives and cooperative groups in the area; implemented industrial promotion and trade promotion programs, expanded markets, developed craft villages and export products; supported cooperatives in their need for loans and mobilized capital from non-governmental projects.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union Tran Van Chuong reflects on the shortcomings in the operations of cooperatives. Photo: Thanh Le

However, many local Party committees and authorities at all levels have not really paid attention to the activities of cooperatives, leading to an increase in the number of newly established cooperatives, but the quality and efficiency of their operations are still limited, with their establishment being mainly spontaneous.

Annual funding for training and coaching for cooperative staff is limited, while both the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Cooperative Union are assigned to train and coach cooperative staff. Each newly established cooperative is only supported with 20 million VND.

"The current problem is that cooperatives have not had access to development capital and do not have resources to build infrastructure such as drying yards, storage facilities, canals, etc. The current concern is that the staff of cooperatives is too limited" - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union Tran Van Chuong stated the current situation and recommended that the province needs to make adjustments so that policies can have a more effective impact on the operations of cooperatives.

The Supervisory Delegation visited the safe food booth. Photo: Thanh Le

Concluding the meeting, acknowledging the results of the cooperative's activities in the past time, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong suggested that the Cooperative Union should strengthen on-site inspections, grasp operational shortcomings from the grassroots level to have accurate and timely recommendations to have measures to remove difficulties and implement policies for cooperatives.

The Provincial Cooperative Union also needs to strengthen its advisory role and State management of the collective economy; promote propaganda to raise awareness among cadres and members about the role of cooperative economy; develop plans, train and improve the capacity of cooperative staff.

The Cooperative Union needs to proactively strengthen coordination with relevant departments and branches to consolidate and develop the cooperative economy; continue to attract resources to support the development of cooperatives.

Regarding the recommendations and shortcomings in the cooperative's operations, the monitoring delegation took note and synthesized the work with the Provincial People's Committee this afternoon, April 13./.