Q.A group of sugarcane-growing farmers in Maharashtra is tired of selling their cane cheaply to a privately owned sugar mill that keeps most of the profit for its owners. They want to set up and own a modern sugar factory themselves, so that the farmers who grow the cane also share in the profit of processing it.

Farmers wanting to own the factory that processes their own cane are following Maharashtra's most famous co-operative example, which turned cane-growers into factory-owners.

This case reflects the very reason co-operative sugar factories were created in Maharashtra.

1. The historic example: The idea is inspired by the first co-operative sugar factory in India, set up at Pravaranagar, in Ahmednagar district, in 1950, founded by Vithalrao Vikhe Patil with the guidance of Dr. Dhananjayrao Gadgil. There, ordinary sugarcane farmers became the owners of a modern sugar factory for the first time.
2. The feature that makes farmers the owners: In a co-operative, the members themselves are the owners, and the society is run for their service and benefit (a service motive, with democratic member control), rather than for the profit of outside investors. Because the farmers register the society and become its members-cum-owners, it is they — not outside capitalists — who own and control the factory. …

Students sometimes name a wrong place (like Anand, which is famous for dairy) for the first co-operative SUGAR factory — the correct landmark is Pravaranagar (1950). Also, remember to tie the ownership to th …