A Study on Growth and Financial Efficiency of Selected Sugar Companies in India

Sugar industry is the largest agro-based industry located in the rural India. About 45 million sugarcane farmers, their dependents and a large mass of agricultural labours are involved in sugarcane cultivation, harvesting and ancillary activities, and constituting 7.5 per cent of the rural population. Beside these, about 0.5 million skilled and semi-skilled workers, mostly from the rural areas are engaged in the sugar industry. The sugar industry in India has been a focal point for socio-economic development in the rural areas by mobilizing rural resources, generating employment and higher income, transport and communication facilities. Further, many sugar factories have established schools, colleges, medical centers and hospitals for the benefit of the rural population. Some of the sugar factories have also diversified into byproduct based industries and have invested and put up distilleries, organic chemical plants, paper and board factories and cogeneration plants. The industry generates its own replenish able biomass and uses it as fuel without depending on fossil fuel. The sugar industry’s contribution to the Indian economy is, therefore, enormous.