Two of India’s most ancient natural fibers — silk and coir — are quietly fueling a new wave of rural prosperity, and most people outside these communities have no idea how profitable these cooperative ventures have become. I’ve been tracking the growth of fiber-based cooperatives across southern and eastern India, and the numbers tell a … Read more
I’ve spent years studying the economics behind India’s decentralized textile sector, and one question keeps surfacing among weavers, policymakers, and cooperative advocates alike — does joining a powerloom cooperative actually put more money in a weaver’s pocket than working independently? The answer is more nuanced than most people assume, and the income gap between these … Read more
Thousands of cooperative societies across India produce world-class agricultural goods, handicrafts, and dairy products — yet most never set foot on an international exhibition floor. The gap between production capability and global market access remains one of the biggest missed opportunities for the Indian cooperative movement, and 2026 is shaping up to be a turning … Read more
The lakadong turmeric grown in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills contains up to 7.5 percent curcumin — nearly three times the concentration found in most commercial varieties and a figure that makes it the most chemically potent turmeric on earth. For three decades, that extraordinary quality translated into almost nothing for the farmers who grew it, because … Read more
When a small group of farmers in Anand, Gujarat handed their milk cans to a barely-organized cooperative in 1946, they weren’t launching a brand — they were staging a revolt. That act of collective defiance against exploitative middlemen became the seed of what is now India’s largest food products organization, one whose annual turnover has … Read more
India’s cooperative movement is one of the largest in the world, touching the lives of over 290 million members spread across more than 800,000 cooperative societies. Behind this vast network, state cooperative federations serve as the backbone, coordinating activities between primary societies and national-level apex bodies. I’ve put together a detailed resource covering these federations, … Read more
If you have a savings account or a fixed deposit in a cooperative bank, there is a good chance you have wondered at some point whether your money is truly safe. The collapse of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank in 2019 shook public confidence, and it forced regulators to rethink how urban cooperative banks … Read more
A single farmer with five buffaloes can only do so much, but when an entire village pools its milk together, the bargaining power shifts dramatically. I have seen firsthand how cooperative dairy farming has turned struggling households into stable, income-generating units — and the model is far simpler to replicate than most people assume. Why … Read more
Thousands of cooperative societies across India leave crores of rupees in government grants unclaimed every year simply because they don’t know how to apply. I’ve spent years studying the cooperative ecosystem in India, and I can tell you that the funding infrastructure is remarkably generous — if you know where to look and how to … Read more
Nearly 30 to 40 percent of India’s total agricultural produce perishes before it reaches the consumer, primarily because of inadequate post-harvest storage and transport facilities. For cooperatives — which collectively handle a massive share of milk, fruits, vegetables, and grains — building dependable cold chain networks is no longer optional but a survival imperative. I … Read more