Before Independence the sugar industry was in the hands of private sector. The actual development was started in 1951 with the implementation of First Five years plan. According to the new social orders in the licensing policy there was a priority for the co-operative sugar mills. Sugar industry is the second largest agro-based industry in India, after cotton textile industry. The industry plays a vital role in the economic development of rural areas as they generate large-scale direct employment besides providing indirect employment to rural population. The sugar industry provides livelihood to more than 4 crores sugar cane growers factory workers and others. Unfortunately, the industry is in doldrums today like other rural industries, like shortage of raw material, low capacity utilization poor financial management, monsoons problem of by products Govt. policies & globalization
