The Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar opposed FDI in retail saying that food supply chain in a country of our size can be brought best by cooperative sectors.
He felt need of massive investment in expanding storage, warehousing and cold chain infrastructure in the public and cooperative sectors in India and improving their management.
Allowing FDI in retail cannot be a substitute for positive public intervention and desired level of public investment in this crucial area, the Chief Minister contended.
Nitish contested that the votaries of FDI in retail argue that the policy would transform rural economy and unlock supply chain inefficiencies in the agri-business.
But in reality the global retailers through their retail chains will set up backend “captive infrastructure” meant for their own business operations and not openly available for the farmers, consumers and public at large.
Earlier, GCMMF Managing Director R S Sodhi had also opposed FDI terming it anti-farmers.
Opinions are slowly building up in the country in favour of giving a try to cooperative model in a big way to solve farmers’ woes.