Abstract: The role of cooperatives in sustainable rice processing is multifaceted and crucial for the agricultural sector’s development. Cooperatives enable farmers to pool resources, share knowledge, and negotiate betterprices, thereby improving their bargaining power and income. This review paper explores the role of agricultural processing cooperatives, specifically rice processing cooperatives in promoting local economic development and sustainable rice processing in India, analyzing their benefits, challenges, and potential strategies for improvement. As rice is a staple food for a large portion of the global population, and its processing efficiency significantly impacts food security, economic stability, and farmer incomes. Agricultural cooperatives play a crucial role in improving rice processing efficiency by integrating smallholder farmers, optimizing post-harvest handling, and facilitating access to modern milling technologies. They help in reducing post-harvest losses, improving the quality of processed rice, and ensuring better market access. Furthermore, cooperatives contribute to cost reduction through collective bargaining, providing technical training, and encouraging the adoption of mechanization. Cooperatives' Effects on rice productivity vary greatly depending on the region, farm size, and degree of mechanization. This paper reviews the role of various cooperatives in enhancing rice processing efficiency by analyzing their impact on production, processing technologies, supply chain management, and marketing. Various studies highlight that cooperative models have successfully improved rice processing quality in countries like India, China, and the Philippines. However, cooperatives face challenges such as financial constraints, poor governance, and inadequate infrastructure. Addressing these issues through policy support, credit availability and technological advancements can further strengthen the role of cooperatives in rice processing.
Keywords: Agri-processing cooperatives, Rice Processing Cooperatives, Rural development, farmer organizations, cooperative societies
Author: Sapna Singh, Satakshi Sinha and Payal Chakraborty
doi: https://doie.org/10.10346/AE.2025820659
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