📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Crops for the Future
Agriculture
Farmer Panel Takes Over Gujarat’s Largest Co‑op Sugar Mill, Ending BJP’s Two‑Decade Rule
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 20 Aug 2026, 01:39 AM
👁 4
A farmer‑led panel has assumed control of Gujarat’s biggest cooperative sugar factory, ending the BJP’s 20‑year management of the mill.
Earlier this week a panel representing local sugarcane growers took over the management of Gujarat’s largest cooperative sugar factory, replacing the BJP‑led board that had overseen operations for two decades. The mill, which processes the highest volume of sugarcane in the state, is a critical source of income for thousands of farmers in the region.
The BJP’s 20‑year control of the co‑op was rooted in political appointments that many growers said prioritized party interests over operational efficiency. The farmer panel’s takeover was formalised after a series of meetings with the state agriculture department and the factory’s trustees, culminating in a vote that transferred authority to the growers’ representatives.
Industry analysts note that the shift could lead to more farmer‑centric decision‑making, potentially improving dividend payouts and modernising production practices. The move also signals a broader challenge to long‑standing political influence in Gujarat’s agrarian institutions.
While the new board has pledged transparency and better returns for its members, the BJP has yet to comment publicly on the loss of its long‑held position in the mill’s governance.
The BJP’s 20‑year control of the co‑op was rooted in political appointments that many growers said prioritized party interests over operational efficiency. The farmer panel’s takeover was formalised after a series of meetings with the state agriculture department and the factory’s trustees, culminating in a vote that transferred authority to the growers’ representatives.
Industry analysts note that the shift could lead to more farmer‑centric decision‑making, potentially improving dividend payouts and modernising production practices. The move also signals a broader challenge to long‑standing political influence in Gujarat’s agrarian institutions.
While the new board has pledged transparency and better returns for its members, the BJP has yet to comment publicly on the loss of its long‑held position in the mill’s governance.