• Sonhira Cooperative Sugar Factory

• Dr. Patangrao Kadam established this co-operative Sugar Factory in Wangi (Dist. Sangli), which is located in an area which is perennially draught stricken. He had earlier got many governmental schemes implemented in this area, including that of percolation and irrigation tanks and the likes. The work of erection of the factory was started in January 1999 and the factory could start producing sugar in February 2000. Commissioning of a sugar factory within such a short time is a mind-boggling achievement. This unit is located on a sprawling piece of land of 181 acres. It has 16,000 registered members, hailing from sixty villages in Khanapur, Kadegaon and Palus tahashils of Sangli district. It has a crushing capacity of 2,500 metric ton sugarcane per day. With the commissioning of this factory, the economic profile of this region has undergone a dramatic change. The cash crop economy is paying good dividends to the farmers. A large number of new jobs have been created for the people in the region and the ancillary industries and service units that have become a source of livelihood for hundreds of families, have also been commissioned.

  Sonhira Sahakari Utpadak Prakriya va Krishipurak Udyog Sahakari Sangh Kadegaon (Dist. Sangli)

  (Sonhira Cooperative Productive, Processing and Agribased Industries Cooperative Society) Economic empowerment of marginal landholders is also an urgent and crucial issue that demands concerted and planned efforts. With a view to provide economic opportunities to marginal landholders to supplement their meagre income, Dr. Kadam established this cooperative Milk Federation in June 1997 at Kadegaon, which runs a milk-collecting unit. It has its own chilling plant. Its proposed activity is the scheme of distribution of milk in urban areas. Among its members are about 1,100 individual members, and 66 cooperative societies of milk producers.