April 21, 2020
The Kerala State Co-operatives Consumers’ Federation Ltd is the apex body of the consumer Co-operatives in the state of Kerala. This Apex body was registered on 04/09/1965 and started functioning on 07/10/1965. Our primary objective is to distribute consumer articles and medicines to the public at and affordable pricing structure and protect their buying rights from the exploitation. For meeting the above objective, the Federation opened Four hundred and above retail outlets in the state with the help of 2425 and above dedicated staffs, and achieved annual turnover above 2676.13 crores in the financial year 2022-23 and we are also make bulk procurement of consumer goods and supply to affiliated and or other co-operative societies and arrange for proper storage, packing, grading and transport of such goods.
Objects
- To make bulk procurement of consumer goods and supply to affiliated and/or other Co-operatives Societies and arrange for proper storage, packing, grading and transport of such goods.
- To function as agent for the distribution of consumer goods and to import consumer goods whenever necessary.
- To establish and run manufacturing and processing units for production of consumer goods in collaboration with or directly by itself.
- To undertake such promotional and technical activities which are conducive for promotion of interests of consumer movement.
Membership
Membership of the federation is confined to the 14 District Wholesale Co-operative Consumer Stores and the State Government. Eleven primary Co-operative Societies are admitted as Associate Members. 99% of the paid up share capital is contributed by the State Government.
Share Capital
The position of membership and share capital of Federation is furnished below.
(Rs. in lakhs)
| Type of Member | Number | Share Capital |
| District Wholesale Stores | 14 | 64.82 |
| Other Co-operative Societies | 11 | 0.01 |
| State Government | 1 | 5,604.89 |
| Total | 26 | 5,669.72 |
Management
Management of the Federation is vested with the Board of Directors consisting 18 Members, constituted by one representative each of the 14 District whole sale stores and 3 nominees of the Government and the Managing Director. The 3 nominees of State Government include the Registrar of Co-operative Societies.
Administrative Offices
The central administrative (Head office) is at Gandhi Nagar, Ernakulam. There are 11 Regional Offices as shown below.
Regional Offices
- Thiruvananthapuram
- Kollam
- Pathanamthitta
- Alappuzha
- Kottayam
- Ernakulam
- Trissur
- Palakkad
- Malappuram
- Kozhikode
- Kannur
Business Divisions
- Triveni Division
- Neethi Medical Division
- Neethi Gas Division
- Beverages Division
- Triveni Note book & Computer Stationery Division
- E-Triveni Business Division
- Professional Education Division
Functions of Business Divisions
Triveni Super Markets
The Kerala State Co-operative Consumers’ Federation was established with main objective of saving the public from the exploitation by retail / middleman. We were dealing mainly in the wholesale of Food & Grocery, Cosmetics, Household & Electrical, Textiles etc initially, which have developed to the net work of Triveni Super Markets / Mobile Triveni Stores . Presently we are having 176 Triveni and 47 Mobile Triveni Units all over Kerala.
Neethi Medical Scheme
Federation started the “Neethi Medical Stores” with the assistance of Government of Kerala from 1st November 1998. Under this scheme medicines are made available to the consumers at a price less by 18 to 70% of the MRP. The role of Consumerfed in the scheme mainly is to procure and distribute medicines on wholesale basis as per the requirement of the Neethi Medical stores. For this we have set up 12 Neethi Medical Warehouses. At present there are 75 Neethi Medical Stores directly run by Federation in addition to the 600 odd stores run Primary Co-operative Societies.
LPG Distribution
During the year 1998 when there was acute shortage for Cooking Gas, Consumerfed, at the instance of Government of Kerala had decided to venture into the field of distribution of LPG by releasing LPG connections to consumers through Neethi Stores. As we were not had our own gas filling plant and organizational set up for the distribution of LPG at that time, we have started the distribution by sourcing LPG cylinders from two parallel private marketers, under agreement executed.
Later on we have purchased a LPG Bottling Plant in Palakkad and supply of LPG began from there in May 2000. LPG of high quality is being distributed to more than 60,000 consumers at present, under the brand name ‘Neethi Gas’. “Suneethi Gas” launched in 2007 is being attracted by the consumers. Now we are undertaking the refilling for BPL on commission basis.
Later on we have purchased a LPG Bottling Plant in Palakkad and supply of LPG began from there in May 2000. LPG of high quality is being distributed to more than 60,000 consumers at present, under the brand name ‘Neethi Gas’. “Suneethi Gas” launched in 2007 is being attracted by the consumers. Now we are undertaking the refilling for BPL on commission basis.
Foreign Liquor Business
During the year 2001-2002 due to the change in liquor policy of Government, Federation has ventured in the field of Foreign Liquor business. Due to the high rate of Kisth (License Fee payable to Government) and Turn over Tax rate, when compared with the trade margin permitted by Government, this business has resulted in heavy loss from the 1st year itself. The accumulated loss up to 31/03/2006 was Rs. 23.97 crores. From 2006-07 onwards we have introduced radical changes in purchase policy and matters related to foreign liquor business which gave positive results. At present we have 36 Foreign liquor shops and 3 beer shops.
Triveni Note books
We have started the manufacture and sale of Note books in the brand name of Triveni’ engaging the skilled workers of Kunnamkulam, a rural area in Trichur District of Kerala, under our direct supervision and control. These notebooks are of high demand among the students community. We have our own godown at Kunnamkulam, constructed with the financial assistance of NCDC for the storage and distribution of Triveni note book. The quality and price structure of these note books is incomparable with other brands available in the market. At the school opening seasons we conduct school markets in important centers to cater the needs of the students.
Computer Stationery Business
In June 2005 we have commissioned our computer stationery unit at Kunnamkulam along with the notebook unit. All types of computer pre printed and other stationery items required for Co-operatives and Government Departments are sold here.
E-Triveni Business Centres
We have a separate 13 E-Triveni units for the sale of office stationery items to meet the requirements of Government and other offices. We also deal school stationery items for the requirements of students.
E-Consumerfed
On getting the entire units under networking we are given the honour of “E-Consumerfed” by the Government, the 1st co-operative federation in the State to get such a status. Hardware maintenance is done by experts in Consumerfed replacing AMC with outside agencies. IT Division has developed an in-house software consisting of inventory and accounts viz “Bee-Bee” wich is being used in all the units of Consumerfed except NMSs and NMWs. E-Tendering process has been introduced in Consumerfed.
Subsidy Sale of essential commodities
As part of the Market Intervention operations of Government Consumerfed use to conduct subsidy sale of essential commodities during all major festival seasons of Kerala.
Consumerfed’s step in medical service field is “SUSHRUSHA HI-TECH CLINICAL LABORATORY” (including scanning, X-ray) which focuses to stop the exploitation in medical field and low cost diagnosis. First laboratories have been started at Alapuzha( Kayamkulam)
In Brief
Federation is successfully working to achieve its object of market intervention through its net work of more than 350 numbers of retail outlets. Supply of Goods to 1,000 odd Neethi Stores and about 1500 Neethi stores run by primary Co-operative Societies, mostly situated at rural areas is done from our Neethi Scheme. The services rendered by Consumerfed through the distribution of medicine at comparatively low price provide great relief to the low income group patients to a great extent. We are running 75 own Neethi Medical Stores. So also Neethi Gas, Triveni Note book products of Consumerfed, are well accepted by the consumers. The in-takers of unadulterated foreign liquor sold the 36 FLI shops of Consumerfed are on the increase year after year.
Conclusion
Since inception Federation has evolved to be an integral part of every sections of the community in Kerala for satisfying their daily requirement of necessary articles. Today we play a vital role in Kerala’s consumer market by our effective intervention in the market and supply a wide range of multiple consumer products of day to day requirements to the consumers at their highest satisfaction, through the net work of nearly 400 own units and more than 3,000 other units controlled by us.