TEHRAN - Recently, the Central Organization of Rural Co-operatives of Iran – CORC - arranged a tour of one of their exemplary branches, Shabahang, in Shahriar, in Greater Tehran for journalists.

Co-operatives are businesses owned and run by and for their members. Whether the members are the customers, employees or residents they have an equal say in what the business does and a share in the profits.

Prior to the tour, a press briefing followed by Q and A session was held in the ceremony banquet hall of Shabahang where some of the top officials of the organization addressed the reporters.  

The head of CORC, Mohammadreza Raeisinejad, gave good tidings on the occasion and said that after passage of some 40 years, for the first time, Iran has won 142 votes among 195 participating countries in the board elections of International Summit of Co-operatives Alliance (ICA) held in Quebec, Canada in October of this year.

The board election votes helped Iran rank third right after the United Kingdom and Russia.

That would open doors of opportunity to Iran, Raeisinejad said hoping that in the next International Co-operative Alliance board elections which will be held in Malaysia next year, Iran would be able to gain the seat of the regional office, which is now in the hands of India.

The International Co-operative Alliance is an independent, non-governmental organization established in 1895 to unite, represent and serve co-operatives worldwide.  The Alliance provides a global voice and forum for knowledge, expertise and coordinated action for and about co-operatives.   

Rural co-operatives after developing villages: head of Tehran’s bureau of the rural co-operative organization

Another speaker at the conference, Mohammadreza Raeisinejad, head of Tehran’s office of the rural cooperative organization, said that the 6 bureaus of rural co-operatives, based in Tehran province, govern policy in the form of guaranteed purchase of goods, distribution of fertilizer and seeds.

Mohammad Zarbakhsh noted that the rural co-operatives organization is after “developing villages” and to do so the organization is “eyeing the business sector.”

Zarbakhsh continued to say that under the command of Tehran governor, Tehran’s headquarters is formed to help rural cooperative organization with projects on promoting reduction of water usage in agriculture.

“The headquarters is in charge of research and optimal distribution of water among farmers.”

He further said that 11 projects on resistance economic are on the agenda in Tehran in food plants modification in greenhouses and farmland reform, because “safe products should enter the market.”

Iran and Spain put ink on modern greenhouses and agriculture packaging produced in greenhouses: head of Shabahang Rural Co-operative Company

Among the other panels at the press conference, was Samaland, the head of Shabahang Rural Co-operative Company, who said lately the organization has been holding talks with Spain to bring in investment for establishment of greenhouses in Iran set to export their fresh produce.

 
Majid Samaland explained negotiations are underway with Spain to attract investment in modern greenhouses and packaging of the crops produced there.

Shabahang Shahriar Rural Cooperative, established in 1973, is an empirical model of entrepreneurial rural co-operatives that focuses on economizing rural cooperative societies by merging 6 coops.

Shabahang has built many credit units, a ceremony hall, consumer shops, home appliances stores, sport complex with swimming pool, track and soccer stadium, water park, indoor shooting range, dormitories, ceremony hall, a warehouse, etc.