New Delhi: Women farmers FPOs accounted for 21.96 lakh members under a central sector scheme, the Union government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ramnath Thakur shared the information in a written reply. He said the Centre had formed 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations to promote collective farming and improve market access.
According to the reply, 56.32 lakh farmers had registered with these producer organisations as of January 1, 2026. Women formed a significant portion of the total membership. Officials said this trend reflected rising participation by women in organised agriculture.
The central sector scheme focuses on aggregation, value addition, and improved bargaining power for farmers. The government designed the programme to help small and marginal farmers access inputs, credit, and markets more efficiently.
Women farmers FPOs include 1,175 organisations with only women members
Ramnath Thakur said that 1,175 of the registered producer organisations had 100% women membership. He added that these organisations aimed to strengthen leadership, financial inclusion, and income security among women farmers.
Officials said women farmers FPOs played an important role in improving household incomes. They also helped members gain better access to institutional credit and government support programmes.
The government has promoted the FPO model to reduce input costs and improve price realisation. It has encouraged states to support these organisations through training, market linkages, and infrastructure.
The minister placed the information before the Rajya Sabha on February 6 through a written reply, presenting the latest verified data under the scheme.
