Maharashtra is the most important state where sugarcane cultivation and sugar mills are integrated in co-operative system. In fact, Maharashtra has emerged as India’s largest producer of sugar, producing about one-third of India’s sugar due to : 1. The high recovery rate of 11.6 percent i.e. the sugar obtained is 11.6 percent of the sugarcane used. 2. Longer crushing period of 162 days. 3. Close proximity of mills to the growing areas