Q.The molasses and bagasse left after a co-operative sugar factory crushes cane are best described as:
(A) Waste that must be discarded at a cost
(B) By-products that can be profitably utilised for additional income
(C) Raw materials supplied by members
(D) Finished goods sold directly to members

A large processing plant does not stop at its main product; the materials left over can themselves be a source of income.

Why (B) is correct: When sugarcane is crushed, sugar is the main product, but molasses (used for alcohol/ethanol) and bagasse (used as fuel or for paper) are valuable by-products. Utilising them profitably is a genuine advantage of processing co-operatives, adding income that benefits the producer-members.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• (A) treating them as costly waste ignores their real market value. …

Students sometimes think only the main product (sugar) matters. In practice, by-product utilisation (molasses, bagasse in sugar; oil-cake in oil mills) is an important extra adv …