Producer cooperatives exported $1.1 billion worth of goods in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended March 20), said deputy minister of cooperatives, labor and social welfare, Hamid Kalantari.
“Cooperatives play a vital role in securing sustainable employment and economic development,” IRNA quoted him as saying at a meeting with members of producer cooperatives companies in Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province.
Currently there are more than 100,000 cooperatives active across the country with 11 million members. With about 400 knowledge-based cooperatives, the sector has provided 1.5 million people with jobs.
The cooperatives sector currently claims 7% of the national production and economic growth, while it was supposed to assume a 25% share based on the Fifth Economic Development Plan (2011-16).
“The ministry plans to train and empower cooperatives to help them contribute further to the national economy,” Kalantari said.
He called on the ministry’s affiliated organizations to assist cooperatives in addressing the challenges facing the sector, including shortage of liquidity and potent workforce, high interest on banking loans and increased production costs.
“So far, the cooperatives in Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad have contributed to employment and domestic production in the areas of agriculture, industries, mines and services,” he noted.
