FMCG Distribution Association Formed in the State of Meghalaya

An FMCG Distributors Association named Meghalaya Distributors Association , affiliated with NEDA (Northeast Distributors Association) and AICPDF (All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation) was formed and held its first general board meeting recently, at Shillong Club Residential, Shillong. Over 70 fast-moving consumer goods distributors from Shillong took part in the meet. To run the association ethically, the MDA committee has appointed the following office bearers: Mr Purnendu Paul as President, Mr Arun Chandra Das as General Secretary, and Mr Suren Kumar Singhania as the Treasurer. To help and guide the office bearers, the following Deputies got elected: Vice President: Mr Aman Passari & Mr Shiv Shanker Prasad, Jt. Secretary: Mr. Pramod Prasad and Jt. Treasurer: Mr Shyam Agarwal. The office bearers and the deputies of MDA have also formed the following 11 Executive members. The latter will stand for specific tasks and agendas of MDA: Mr Rohin Khemani, Mr Sreemant Agarwala, Mr Ajay Gupta, Mr Shamit Bansal, Mr Anirudh Jasrasaria, Mr Angadh Kumar Ray, Mr Vishal Armani, Mr Rohit Arora, Mr Harish Jalewa, Mr Manoj Choudhary, Mr Ratnajit Deb and Mr Priyank Sharma. To handle MDA public relations and coordinate with NEDA and AICPDF, the office bearers and deputies have appointed Mr Shubro Paul.

Over the last few decades, FMCG distributors within Meghalaya have faced damaging trade systems and dominancy adopted by FMCG and e-commerce giants, which have affected the sound mind of any FMCG distributor. Unrealistic price margin of products, unsettled salvage claims, massive investments in inventories and markets, and assigning new FMCG distributors or e-commerce giants without prior information to the existing distributors' area, are a few of the unhealthy practices adopted by FMCG companies. To tackle such issues and bring healthy trade for any FMCG distributors of Meghalaya, MDA, with the counsel of NEDA, has introduced mandate SOPS for all FMCG distributors within the State of Meghalaya. One of the core SOPS of MDA is that any FMCG companies must take NOC/LOC from the Meghalaya Distributors Association for dropping any FMCG distributors' business. FMCG distributors who are members of MDA will get special business privileges and associations with NEDA and AICPDF. On this note, MDA President said, “The time has come for all the FMCG distributors to unite and stand together. The passion and seriousness which an FMCG distributor contributes in the business, will now be appreciated by the companies.”

In recent years, FMCG business dynamics have seen mass adoption of information technology on online and offline platforms. This sudden change in business has affected the traditional business approach of any FMCG distributor. With the help of AICPDF and NEDA, Meghalaya Distributors Association will update, develop, and enhance all MDA members' skill sets from time to time.

Recently, the Office Bearers and the PR coordinator of MDA represented the 20th Annual General Meeting of the Northeastern Distributors Association was held at Dichang Resort, Guwahati, Assam. Presided by the President of AICPDF Mr Dhairyashil Patil & NEDA Mr Vijay Patil and the General Secretary of NEDA Mr Poonam Taneja, delegates of the All-India Consumer Products Distributors Federation and FMCG Distributors Association from 27 different states took part in the Annual General Meet.

Post the experience gathered at the 20th Annual General Meeting of NEDA, the General Secretary of MDA said firmly, “MDA's core foundation lies on the Unity and Strength of all FMCG distributors. It's high time that every FMCG company values our efforts. MDA will be the pillar of all FMCG distributors of Meghalaya.”