[PART IXA] of the Companies Act, 1956
CHAPTER I: PRODUCER COMPANIES
581A. DEFINITIONS In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) "active Member" means a member who fulfils the quantum and period of patronage of the Producer Company as may be required by the articles ; (b) "Chief Executive" means an individual appointed as such under sub-section (1) of section 581W ; (c) "limited return" means the maximum dividend as may be specified by the articles ; (d) "Member" means a person or Producer institution (whether incorporated or not) admitted as a Member of a Producer Company and who retains the qualifications necessary for continuance as such ; (e) "inter-State co-operative society" means a multi-State co-operative society as defined in clause (k) of section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 1984 (51 of 1984) and includes any co-operative society registered under any other law for the time being in force, which has, subsequent to its formation, extended any of its objects to more than one State by enlisting the participation of persons or by extending any of its activities outside the State, whether directly or indirectly or through an institution of which it is a constituent ;
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(f) "mutual assistance principles" means the principles set out in sub-section (2) of section 581G ; (g) "officer" includes any director or Chief Executive or Secretary or any person in accordance with whose directions or instructions part or whole of the business of the Producer Company is carried on ; (h) "patronage" means the use of services offered by the Producer Company to its Members by participation in its business activities ; (i) "patronage bonus" means payments made by a Producer Company out of its surplus income to the Members in proportion to their respective patronage ; (j) "primary produce" means (i) produce of farmers, arising from agriculture (including animal husbandry, horticulture, floriculture, pisciculture, viticulture, forestry, forest products, re-vegetation, bee raising and farming plantation products), or from any other primary activity or service which promotes the interest of the farmers or consumers ; or (ii) produce of persons engaged in handloom, handicraft and other cottage industries ; (iii) any product resulting from any of the above activities, including by-products of such products ; (iv) any product resulting from an ancillary activity that would assist or promote any of the aforesaid activities or anything ancillary thereto ; (v) any activity which is intended to increase the production of anything referred to in sub-clauses (i) to (iv) or improve the quality thereof ; (k) "producer" means any person engaged in any activity connected with or relatable to any primary produce ; (l) "Producer Company" means a body corporate having objects or activities specified in section 581B and registered as Producer Company under this Act ; (m) "Producer institution" means a Producer Company or any other institution having only producer or producers or Producer Company or Producer Companies as its member whether incorporated or not having any of the objects referred to in section 581B and which agrees to make use of the services of the Producer Company or Producer Companies as provided in its articles. (n) "withheld price" means part of the price due and payable for goods supplied by any Member to the Producer Company ; and as withheld by the Producer Company for payment on a subsequent date.
CHAPTER II: INCORPORATION OF PRODUCER COMPANIES AND OTHER MATTERS 581B. OBJECTS OF PRODUCER COMPANY (1) The objects of the Producer Company shall relate to all or any of the following matters, namely : (a) production, harvesting, procurement, grading, pooling, handling, marketing, selling, export of primary produce of the Members or import of goods or services for their benefit: Provided that the Producer Company may carry on any of the activities specified in this clause either by itself or through other institution ; (b) processing including preserving, drying, distilling, brewing, vinting, canning and packaging of produce of its Members ; (c) manufacture, sale or supply of machinery, equipment or consumables mainly to its Members ; (d) providing education on the mutual assistance principles to its Members and others ; (e) rendering technical services, consultancy services, training, research and development and all other activities for the promotion of the interests of its Members ; (f) generation, transmission and distribution of power, revitalisation of land and water resources, their use, conservation and communications relatable to primary produce ; (g) insurance of producers or their primary produce ; (h) promoting techniques of mutuality and mutual assistance ; (i) welfare measures or facilities for the benefit of Members as may be decided by the Board ; (j) any other activity, ancillary or incidental to any of the activities referred to in clauses (a) to (i) or other activities which may promote the principles of mutuality and mutual assistance amongst the Members in any other manner ; (k) financing of procurement, processing, marketing or other activities specified in clauses (a) to (j) which include extending of credit facilities or any other financial services to its Members. (2) Every Producer Company shall deal primarily with the produce of its active Members for carrying out any of its objects specified in this section. 581C. FORMATION OF PRODUCER COMPANY AND ITS REGISTRATION (1) Any ten or more individuals, each of them being a producer or any two or more Producer institutions, or a combination of ten or more individuals and Producer institutions, desirous of forming a Producer Company having its objects specified in section 581B and otherwise complying with the requirements of this Part and the provisions of this Act in respect of registration, may form an incorporated Company as a Producer Company under this Act. (2) If the Registrar is satisfied that all the requirements of this Act have been complied with in respect of registration and matters precedent and incidental thereto, he shall, within thirty days of the receipt of the documents required for registration, register the memorandum, the articles and other documents, if any, and issue a certificate of incorporation under this Act. (3) A Producer Company so formed shall have the liability of its Members limited by the memorandum to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them and be termed a company limited by shares.
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(4) The Producer Company may reimburse to its promoters all other direct costs associated with the promotion and registration of the company including registration, legal fees, printing of a memorandum and articles and the payment thereof shall be subject to the approval at its first general meeting of the Members. (5) On registration under sub-section (1), the Producer Company shall become a body corporate as if it is a private limited company to which the provisions contained in this Part apply, without, however, any limit to the number of Members thereof, and the Producer Company shall not, under any circumstance, whatsoever, become or be deemed
to become a public limited company under this Act.
