SINET

Indian Sugar Sector Network

Case Study (Draft)

Within the initiative

Sustainable Industrial Networks and Its applications on Micro

Regional Environmental Planning (SINET)

Partner
Organizations
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PURTI CO-
CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR MILL LTD.:

M/s Purti sugar mill is situated at Khursapar (Bela) village near about 60 KM from Nagpur at national
highway (Nagpur-Chandrapur) in Umred Taluka. This complex has been started within the leadership of

Shri. Nitinji Gadkari, Chairman, who had laid the foundation stone of this multiproduct complex, which in

the years to come would be the ideal example for whole Indian sugar industry sector. This multiproduct

complex is spread over 250 Acres and consist of the

following

• Sugar complex -capacity 2500 TPD/day (tons

per day)

• Distillery complex- capacity Sprit– 45,000 KLPD

(kilo liters per day) Ethanol– 1,20,000 KLPD

• Co-generation complex( capacity 220 MW)

• Bio-disel complex capacity (3000 liters/day)

• Bio-composting unit A view of the sugarcane field

Sugar Complex

The sugar industry began its crushing operation in 2002 with a capacity of 2500 TPD. of cane per day. But

eventually operating a sugar factory in an area where small number of farmers are planting sugar cane

which is insufficient to assure the operation of the sugar factory would not have been commercially

viable. This year the restriction of the command area has been removed by the government which in turns

helps the industry to procured the sugarcane from outside the command area.

In this region water table is very low therefore water scarcity problem is very high as compare to other

sugarcane growing region. This sugar factory has an enormous importance for the surrounding community.

Being located in the rural area, it provides employment opportunity and increases secondary business in the

area. During the harvesting season, the cane is taken to the mill mostly by tractors (single & doubled

trolley), bullock cart, and trucks. This year, most of the sugar cane came from the nearby areas like

Wardha , Nanded, Selu, which approximately takes 6 to 8 hrs, while in case of Madhya Pradesh it takes

more than 12 to 15 hrs.

Harvesting is done by hand. Sugarcane cutting is a hard and dirty job, but provides employment to people in

nearby areas where jobs are scarce. Sugarcane is cut at about ground level, the top green leaves are

chopped off and then the stalk is bundled. Once a complete bundle has been assembled, it is removed from

the field with the help of labourers and transferred to a larger vehicle for transport to the mill. The

harvested sugar cane should be crushed within 24 hrs. to get a good recovery of sugar. Therefore every

sugar mill has provided transportation and harvesting facility to the farmers on nominal charges, which

ultimately provides secondary employment to the nearby communities.

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In general, almost all sugar mills depend for their supplies of Social Inputs
sugar cane on large number of independent farmers, producing • Provides direct employment to about
700 to 800 workers
the crop for profits. If the yield per hectare is improved, the • Approximately 3000 families are
benefitted within 10,000 Acres of
benefit goes to the growers while if the cane is rich enough in sugarcane growing region in the nearby
area
sugar content; it becomes profitable to the mills. Therefore cane
Economic Inputs
growing and milling are essentially a joint enterprise what helps
• Support services like labour
the grower helps the miller and vice- versa. contractor (Provider)

Sugarcane considered as a alternative crop in this area , most of • Harvester (Skilled Migrated workers)

the farmers go for the cotton, some of them cultivating orange , • Hardware services

• Besides cotton and orange; it gives

which in this area, gives a good income to the farmers. option to the farmers as a cash crop

As this mill has started operating only recently, the mill at present does not have an agriculture devel-

opment department but through traditional channels, they are in touch with the farmers and purchase sugar

cane from nearby areas. The harvesters which are

deployed by the mill are mostly from the area where

the sugarcane growing and harvesting is a traditional

business like western Maharashtra, Maratwada &

Andhra Pradesh. They are largely migrated

workers who live nearby to the factory in small

tents (Zopadi). They harvest the crop and then load

it on to the vehicle in presence of the crop owner

A view of lifting & unloading of sugarcane (Farmer). Each group of harvester consists of 8-10

members. The transporting agent gets the slip signed by the farmer and goes to the weighing and crushing

center. Weighing is located near to the crushing center. Once the weighing has being carried out, mill offi-

cials will note down the entry of the crop weight,

name of crop owner and the vehicle number, for fur-

ther procedure. The payment of the crop will directly

be deposited in the account of each farmer or can be

paid directly . The sugarcane vehicles is then unloaded

at the crushing centre with the help of lifters, the

lifted bundle of sugarcane is then conveyed

to the cane leveler where it is cut and chipped. The

cut cane blanket is then fed to tandem of mill,

wherein it is crushed and the juice is extracted. The manager needs to process the cane as soon as possible

if sucrose losses are to be avoided. Typically, cane is processed within 24 hours after harvesting. Following

are the steps, which are involved in the manufacturing of sugar.

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Extraction of juice:The extraction is actually conducted as a counter-current process using fresh hot

water being pumped at one end in the opposite direction to

the cane. The more the water is used, the more is the sugar

extracted but the more dilute the mixed juice, hence more

energy will be required to evaporate the juice. In many

factories, the cane is crushed in a series of large roller

mills similar to a mangle [wringer] and the sweet juice

extracted. Generally juice looks pretty dirty, because of

contamination with soil particles from the fields, small

Tandem mill
fibers and

the green extracts from the plant. There are several

important aspects to extraction which involve the energy

balance of the mill, the efficiency of extraction and

therefore ultimately the profitability of operations. The

fibrous cane material after the extraction of juice is

called the bagasse

Clarification: -The extracted juices are then heated to

Juice extraction by counter current
60-65o c in juice heater and passed to reaction tank where

the liming and sulphitation takes place. This limed and

sulphited juice is pumped back to a ‘clarifier’ after heating

to 100o c. which remains there for about 3 hr. During this

stage in the clarifier, the heavy insoluble impurities, mostly

soil and mud are precipitates which are then pumped to a

vacuum filter, which remove the liquid portion from the

mud, while the solid muddy portion is taken out of the

mill building. This is used as manure or can serve as raw

Removal of press mud
material for the extraction of crude wax.

Boiling: -The raw juice is now clarified and is called the

clarified juice. It is then passed through a set of

evaporator which boils the excess water under vacuum

concentrating it gradually, as it passes from one

evaporator to another. Finally concentrated juice called

the sugar syrup is sent to the pan floor wherein the final

crystallization takes place, under vacuum. The evaporation

is carried out under vacuum.

Juice boiling section

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Crystallization: - A viscous solid mass consisting of

sugar crystals and mother liquor is dropped in

the crystallizer and it then passes through the pug mills

to centrifugal machines. Due to very high gravity factor,

the viscous mother liquor passes through the opening in

the liner and the sugar is retained on the screen and the

sugar is then dropped in hopper.

Sugar crystal formation

Grading & Packaging:-

The sugar is then passed on to a unit called grader, which

grades the sugar in different grades and in different

sizes as per the Indian sugar standards. At present, Purti

is producing S-30 which is around Rs. 30– 100 less than

M-30 grade of sugar. The sugar is bagged in the

pre-stamped gunny bags, weighed; the grades and number

marked on the bags and these bags are stored in godowns

Packaging facility
and are finally sold. The transportation of sugar from mill to market is mostly carried out by road. Though

the Indian sugar industry is more concentrated in rural part of India but the area is well connected with

most of the metropolitan cities in India.

Distillery Complex

The by-product generated from the production of sugar is

sent to the down stream industry. Molasses, generated

from sugar manufacturing finds its way to the distillery

industry which is adjacent to the sugar complex, where it

is used as a raw material to produce various industrial

chemicals, alcohol, and power biofuels. Presently M/s Purti

Co-operative Sugar Mill has a well equipped distillery

Molasses stream
complex for production of Sprit and Ethanol with installed capacity of 45,000 KLPD of sprit and 1,20,000

KLPD of ethanol which is an important basic feed stock

for manufacture of various chemicals. These chemicals

are good substitutes for petrochemicals and petrol based

chemicals in India. The waste water produced is treated

in the effluent treatment plant and then treated water

is recycled for on-site use, sent back to the river or used

to irrigate the cane-farms. A view of the Distillery

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Co-generation Complex

The fibrous cane material left after the extraction of juice,

called bagasse goes to the boiler, wherein the same is burnt

producing steam and electricity. At present M/s Purti

Co-operative Sugar Mill is producing 2 MW electricity that

powers the mill to process sugar from cane juice and alcohol

in distillery industry.

M/s Reliance Industries has recently signed an electricity

Co-
Co-generation unit purchase

agreement of 220 MW with Purti. The bagasse is being

stored into a open ground. The construction of full fledge

co-generation plant is ongoing. Very soon it will start working

to its full capacity. the two multi fuel boiler has been

constructed with installed capacity i.e. working pressure

22 KG and 67 KG respectively

Bio-Disel Complex Electricity Grid

Purti Sakhar Karkhana is one of its kind which has a bio-diesel plant. This plant was started to cope up with

the power shortage and fuel problem. When the sugar complex was in the preliminary stage there was a lot

of vehicles and generator use to work for 24 hr. which consume huge amount of fuel and accounted for the

extra cost to the mill, which prompted Mr. Gadkari chairman

of this mill and he had started the bio-disel plant with an

installed capacity of 3000 liters as a solution to the problem.

This complex has started to make biodisel from cotton seed

oil and Jatropa (local name karanji) cotton seed which is

locally available in good quantity and quality. Presently all the

vehicles ,generators and other instruments which need

A view of the bio-
bio-disel plant petroleum fuel are running on biodisel produced by M/s Purti

Co-operative Sugar Mill. 4 KG Cotton seeds

1 KG oil Seed cake (as cattle feed)

Bio-disel plant

900 gm. Bio-disel (90-95 % recovery) Glycerin 100 gm. (5-10 %)

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Bio-composting unit

Spent wash generated from the distillery, sludge from ETP and excess of bagasse is used as a filler

material for bio-composting, . The produced compost is then supplied to the farmers at nominal cost.

Recommendations:

1) Mill should take up a sort of programme to encouraged the nearby farmers for sugarcane plantation.

2) There are very few water irrigation schemes in this area therefore mill can think to develop water

reservoirs and provides a irrigation facility on subsidized rate.

3) As practiced in the western Maharashtra mill can think for the bio-gas generation plant.

4) Mill have to undertake few rain water, rooftop rain water and ground water recharging projects in the

area.

5) It is highly recommended that mill should established agriculture development department.

Acknowledgement

Mr. Nitinji Gadkari, Chairman

Mr. Sudhir Diwe, Managing Director

Mr. D. R. Jadhav, Works Manager (Sugar)

Mr. Sandeep Mendjoge, Sr. Executive Admin.

M/s Purti Sakhar Karkhana Ltd.

2nd floor, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, Gandhisagar,
Mahal, Nagpur-440 002
Maharashtra, India

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SHRI RAJARAMBAPU CO-

CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR MILL LTD.
(RBCSM) :

RBCSM sugar factory is situated at sakharale village Tal: Walwa, and District Sangli. It began crushing

operation in 1970 within the leadership of late Rajarambapu Patil, the minister in Maharashtra cabinet who

established this society under the name of "Walwa Taluka Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd." after his

untimely demise, the society was renamed as “Shri. Rajarambapu Patil Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana”.

Initially, RBCSM began with a capacity of 1250 MT (metric tonnes) of cane per day and this continues for

nearly 7 years. But there was not much surplus left for any developmental and expansion work for the unit

therefore the capacity was increased up to 2000 MT/day in 1977 and 4000 MT/day in 1990. In 1975

Distillery attached to the sugar mill was established with a capacity of 15000 Liters/day, which further

increased up to 45000 and 75000 Liters/day consequently in 1982 and 1985. The modernization of

distillery was done in the year 2000 with increased capacity of 90000 Liters/day which proved a mile

stone for the mill.

This co-operative sugar mill has an enormous A view of

the RBCSM
importance for the surrounding community. This
factory
complex is a multi-product complex moved around

the sugarcane farm. The sugarcane is one of those agricultural

commodities, which fixes maximum of solar energy per acre, releasing the same for human benefits in many

forms. Therefore; the potential of this sugar industrial network should be harnessed fully. This has been

achieved at some extent by RBCSM .The harvesting season is more or less common in all the sugar

producing states of India, typically ranges from as little as 2 ½ months up to 11 months. The cane is taken

to the mill mostly by tractors (single & doubled trolley), bullock cart, and trucks.

Harvesting is done by hand and its a hard and dirty job but provides a employment to the local as well as

migrated peoples which have been skilled in this job. Sugarcane cut at about ground level, the top green

leaves are chopped off and then the stalk is bundled, once a complete bundle has been assembled it is

remove from the field with the help of labourers this will then be transferred to a larger vehicle for

transport to the mill. The harvested sugar cane should be crushed within 24 hrs. to get a good recovery of

sugar. Therefore, every sugar mill has provided transportation and harvesting facility to the farmers those

are belongs to their command area. In India every sugar factory whether it is private, or co-operative has

their command area allotted to them based on their crushing capacity by the government. During the

crushing season they are allowed to procured sugarcane from command area which gives a regular supply of

sugarcane. But this restriction has been removed in Maharashtra this year. Therefore farmers can sell

their crop to any mill offering them good price.

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Almost all sugar mills depend for their supplies of sugar cane on Social Inputs
large number of independent farmers, producing the crop for • Established Engineering collage
and School
profits. Sugarcane holds a prominent position as cash crop in this
• Agricultural soil testing
region and that’s why most of the farmers cultivate it to make a laboratory, Nursery
profit. The mill has their own soil-testing laboratory, which is • Medical facility for the
community
equipped with all the latest sophisticated instruments and
• Subsidies/Loans for the farmers
provides a facility for soil testing and fertilizer dose
• Infrastructure like road,
recommendation to the farmers on nominal charges to increase transport etc.
better sugarcane yield in the area.
Economic Inputs
In this region, most of the farmers and the labourers are • Support services like labour
contractor (Provider)
involved in the activities, which are directly or indirectly related
• Harvester and Transporter
with sugar production, sugarcane-crushing season is for six
• Hardware services
months in this period most of the people are employed through
• Supplier of chemicals for the
harvesting, loading and transportation activity. industrial process

Achievements
The mill has their third party contractor for harvesting and transpor-

• Best sugar mill in tation. The mill provides vehicles required to transporting sugarcane
Maharashtra State: trophy from field to the mill and only manpower has to be employed by the

• South zone Best Technical transporting contractor. The owner of the

Efficiency Award In vehicle is from the operational area. In
Maharashtra State From
Maharashtra State Sugar Mill every season the mill provides the catalogue
Association Ltd, Mumbai of the crop to be harvested in succession so

• Best Cane Development Award as to assure the supply of sugar cane from
- South Zone the command area. The harvesters under

• Best Financial Management supervision of the agriculture devel-

Award opment officer (ADO) of the mill will har-

• Best Technical Efficiency vest the crop and then load on to the vehi-
Award South Zone cle in presence of the crop owner (Farmer).
Liquor (distillery

Typically each group of harvester consists of 8-10 members, The transporting agent will get the slip signed

by the farmer and goes to the weighing and crushing center. Weighing is located near to the crushing

center. Once the weighing has being carried out, mill officials will note down the entry of the crop weight,

name of crop owner and the vehicle number for further procedure.

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The payment of the crop will directly be deposited in the account of each farmer in

the co-operative bank of the society. After sugar production, the waste generated

from the mill will be sent to the by-product based industry like molasses, which will

then be sent to the distillery industry. Bagasse is used as a fuel in boilers or in

paper mill, press mud and spent wash is used as a filler material for bio-composting.

Compost manure will be sold to the farmers and to the members of the society at

nominal charges.

Molasses

Sugar Industry Network of RBCSM:

Sugarcane Farm

Harvesting, Loading & Transportation of Sugarcane

Gur/Khandsari

Sugar Mill

Molasses Bagasse Sugar Press mud

Distillery Boiler Packaging

Market

Market
Alcohol/Sprit

Methane Gas

Spent wash
Power supply to mill
Co-generation

Biogas Generation

Ash Land filling

Excess spent wash Composting

Manure Chemical enrichment

Supply to members and farmers Branded manure

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On the other hand alcohol is used to produce various industrial chemicals and

supplied to the other industries. Bagasse is burnt as fuel in to boilers to

create electricity that powers the mill to process sugar from cane juice and

alcohol in distillery. Anaerobic digestion is being used to process left-over

effluent producing bio-gas. Produced bio-gas then sent to the boiler as a fuel.

The sugar produced is then packaged and stored.

The transportation of sugar from mill to market is mostly carried out by road.
Compost manure
The area is well connected with most of the metropolitan cities of the India.

Like wise the network revolves around the sugarcane farm and plays an important role in the rural

economy of this area.

Recommendations:

1) Mill should control air pollution caused due to unburnt particles of bagasse in the surrounding area.

2) Mill have to generate an awareness in the surrounding area to decrease the overuse of chemical

fertilizers.

3) Plenty of water is available in this area therefore most of the farmers are careless about the water

conservation practices; but, co-operative society should come up with strong policies for using common

property water sources.

4) Mill shall think for using excess bagasse for paper making.

Acknowledgement

Mr. Jayantrao Patil (Chairman)

Mr. N. S. Kadam (Managing Director)
Mr. G. S. Nikam (Environment Engineer)
Mr. Abasaheb N. Salunkhe (Agri. Development Officer)
Mr. Subbash N. Patil (Soil-Lab and Green House Incharge)
Mr. Vilas Patil (Manager Civil & Irrigation)

Shri. Rajarambapu Co-operative Sugar Mill Ltd

Tal: - Walwa, Dist: - Sangli, Maharashtra
India

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SHRI TATYASAHEB KORE WARANA CO-

CO-OPERATIVE SUGAR
MILL LTD (WARANA):

Shri. Tatyasaheb Kore Warana Co-operative Sugar Mill a unique name that stands as forerunner in the
co-operative movement in India. Tatyasaheb Kore who did a great job in the land of Warana, When an
unprecedented depression in 1951 literally ruined the farmers of this area and they had to burn out their
sugar canes rather than making jaggery and face the prospect of selling it at throwaway prices. This
shocking incident made him to set up a modern co-operative sugar mill in a barren land. WARANA is
situated next to Kodoli village. The success of this sugar mill doubled his enthusiasm and lead to the overall
development of Warana complex. The successful establishment of a co-operative sugar mill in 1959
completely revolutionized the life of Warana. With this mill Tatyasaheb Kore and his magnificent team
touched the lives of the entire weaker section. Warana's total growth is dependent on this sugar mill. This
is the parent unit from which Warana is drawing inspiration and enthusiasm for it's overall growth. Every
effort is being put to make the sugar mill an ideal one.

The Warana nagar is a small township established on the bank of Warana river. Which flows through the
taluka pahnala about 35 KM from district place Kolhapur. This area is situated in the Western Maharashtra
and is famous as a sugar belt area. The farm area is spread all over in the panhala tahsil and it is
approximately 40 KM.

Generally sugar sector divided into two activities

1) Farming of sugar cane (farm level activity)

2) Production of sugar & By-product utilization

Farm level activities like farming , irrigation practices, harvesting of sugarcane, transportation etc. are
more or less common in all the sugar producing states. On the other hand production of sugar and its by
Achievements product utilization is vary depend on the facilities and the
technological know how available with the mill. Basically this
• First prize for its best co-operative sugar mill and its down stream by product based
technical efficiency in the year industries are belongs to the same promoter on the other way we can
1988-89 at the National say it’s an integrated complex.
Federation of Co-operative Sugar Sugar mill capacity 7200 tonnes/day: Produced M-30, S-30, S-29
Factories Ltd. New Delhi. and S-31 grades of sugar.

Cogeneration: Bagasse being used as a fuel in boiler and the energy

produced is being used within the plant for the production of sugar.
• Awarded by Vasantdada Sugar
excess amount will be sent to the grid.
Institute, Pune for its best
Distillery: 9468878 liters of alcohol has been produced during
technical efficiency and higher
2003-04 season with near about 240.3 liter/tones of recovery.
reduce mill extraction in
Southern region of Maharashtra. Paper mill: - In 2003-04 1856 MT of paper has been produced.
But due to shortage of electricity, environmental consideration and
wastewater management paper mill was in operation for 88 days only.
At this point of time paper mill has been handover to M/s Sidharth
core board, Pune

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Bio-composting: During year 2002-03 21473 MT & in 2003-04 11889 MT of Warana bioearth compost
has been provided to the members
WARANA sugar mill in its own is the backbone of this complex. Which reflects from the developmental
work this mill has done for the surrounding area.

a) Employment:
• Sugar mill employs 8000 workers
• Milk mill employs 1200 workers
• Food processing mill employs 400 workers
• Warana bazaar employs 350 workers
• Farm Labours secondary Businessman.
b) Workers welfare: -The mill has provided quarters for the workers with all the essential facilities like
sanitation, filtered water supply, and cheaper electricity etc. workers can avail the credit facility from
the departmental store in Warana bazaar.

In case of an emergency medical facilities are provided at free of cost. The worker's welfare runs a
printing press. Other organisations in Warana complex too provide such amenities for their workers.

c) Educational Facility: - Warana group of cooperatives runs an engineering college; industrial training
institute (ITI), military school, primary school, physical education "Warana Vyayam Mandir" provides
facilities to the body builders and young wrestlers. The training in traditional wrestling and bodybuilding is
given to the interested youngsters around the village

d) Mahila udyog: - "Lijjat Papad Mahila Udyog Ltd" was started where workers wives were given an
opportunity to prepare the Lijjat papad during their leisure time. This not only promoted the family
income, but also kept the women busy and they identified their role in the development of the complex. On
the similar lines "Bhagini Mandal" is also in action where pickles, masalas and other edible items are
prepared and sold. The bhagini mandal at the dairy is involved in the production of plastic containers
required for all the dairy products.

Other peripheral activities:

a) Medical facility: -A 30-bed hospital with latest facilities started in 1992. It is now a 200-bedded
hospital, which is equipped with modern medical technologies along with expert doctors. The experts
organize periodical medical camps free of cost for the benefit of the rural mass.

b) Agriculture development: - Since 80% of the population of the study area depends on agriculture for
their livelihood, an independent Agricultural development department is looking after the whole scenario
of agricultural development. The department has a well-equipped soil-testing laboratory. The required
fertilizers, insecticides and good quality seeds are supplied to the farmers through the departmental
units existing in the villages. A full-fledge nursery is supplying good quality saplings to the farmers.

c) Warana wired village project: -This project connects 70 villages with 150 computer networking nodes
and also provides the internet facilities to the rural community, the project fulfill all the needs such as
revenue records, health cards, credit cards, agricultural goods market prices of national as well as
international markets.

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d) Irrigation facility: - Providing financial aid, technical know-how and managerial help to encourage lift
irrigation schemes on a co-operative basis. Around 65 lift irrigation schemes are functioning. Each lift
irrigation scheme is irrigates around 120 acres of land. Along with this, three large lift irrigation schemes
are working around 4600 acres of land. Due to the efficient working of these lift irrigation schemes the
sugar cane production has gone up by 2 lakh tones. Apart from this, around 5828 wells with pump sets are
also functioning, each well watering about 2-4 acres.

Sugar Industry Network of Warana:

Sugarcane Farm

Harvesting, Loading & Transportation of Sugarcane

Gur/Khandsari

Sugar Mill

Molasses Bagasse Sugar Press mud

Distillery Boiler Paper Mill Packaging Market

Paper/Cardboard Market

Alcohol/Sprit Waste water (ETP)

Market
Sludge
Spent wash
Power supply to mill
Co-generation

Ash Land filling

Excess spent wash Composting

Manure Chemical enrichment

Supply to members and farmers Branded manure

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Recommendation:

1) Whole Warana nagar is situated very near to this complex. Air pollution due to fly ash emission is very
high. Therefore mill should go for the pollution control equipment.
2) Bio-gas generation unit is shut down since last one year. Mill should think on it seriously. It would be
source of fuel for boiler.
3) Awareness need to be generate among the sugarcane growers for better irrigation practices and to
improve yield/ha.
4) Mill shall improve their waste water treatment facility for better waste minimization practices.

Acknowledgement:

Mr. Vinayrao Kore (Chairman)

Mr. V. S. Chavan (Managing Director)
Mr. Zaware (Public Relation Officer)

Shri. Tatyasaheb Kore Warana Co-operative Sugar Mill Ltd.

Warananagar, Tal: Panhala, Dist: Kolhapur, Maharashtra
India

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