Patna: Bihar’s Cooperative Minister Pramod Kumar on Monday announced that a 50-member delegation will visit Gujarat to study its successful cooperative farming and dairy models, with the aim of adapting them to Bihar’s agrarian landscape.

Addressing a press conference, Kumar said nearly 50 representatives associated with cooperative societies will examine Gujarat’s cooperative agriculture and milk production systems in detail. He noted that Bihar holds significant potential for cooperative farming, particularly due to the predominance of small and fragmented landholdings.

The delegation will assess how Gujarat’s cooperative framework has generated employment and enhanced rural incomes. Based on its findings, the state government will explore replicating and customising similar models in Bihar.

Emphasising the employment potential of the cooperative sector, Kumar said the department is identifying avenues to expand livelihood opportunities, especially in rural areas.

Citing Gaya’s well-known tilkut industry as an example, he pointed out that although the sweet is widely produced in the region, sesame seeds, a key ingredient are not cultivated locally and are sourced from Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. The department plans to consult farmers to examine the feasibility of promoting sesame cultivation in the Magadh region under a cooperative farming model. DeshGujarat