Pune Cooperative Sugar Factory Maharashtra

Pune district in Maharashtra is the heartland of the cooperative sugar industry, home to some of India oldest and most powerful cooperative sugar factories including Pravara and Sahyadri. Cooperative sugar factories are owned by sugarcane farmer members who supply cane and receive returns as cooperative dividend above fair and remunerative price. Maharashtra has over two hundred cooperative sugar mills that crush sixty percent of the state cane supply. Cooperative factories have diversified into ethanol, cogeneration electricity, and molasses-based animal feed. The Maharashtra Sugar Cooperative Federation lobbies state government on FRP pricing and water allocation for irrigation. Cooperative sugar politics in Pune, Ahmednagar, and Kolhapur districts is deeply intertwined with state politics as sugar factory chairmanships are stepping stones for rural power.