The cooperative sector in Andhra Pradesh plays a key role in strengthening rural livelihoods, enhancing financial inclusion, and supporting primary sectors such as agriculture, dairy, fisheries, and handloom. With a strong base of primary cooperatives, district unions and state-level federations, the state has built one of India’s most diverse and active cooperative ecosystems.
Institutional Structure
Andhra Pradesh hosts an extensive network of cooperative societies across agriculture, dairy, sugar, handloom, fisheries, and marketing.
- Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), dairy cooperatives, fishermen societies, weavers’ cooperatives and marketing societies form the core institutional framework.
- The Department of Cooperation and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies oversee governance, supported by sector-specific state federations.
- District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCBs) and cooperative banks continue to be central to rural credit delivery.
Key Sectors and Contributions
Agriculture & Credit
- A strong PACS network supports crop loans, input distribution and procurement operations, acting as a critical link in agricultural supply chains.
- Cooperatives contribute significantly to paddy procurement and support government-led input supply schemes.
Dairy Cooperatives
- Andhra Pradesh’s dairy cooperative sector—historically anchored by the Vijaya Dairy model—continues to strengthen milk procurement, processing and rural household incomes.
- Dairy cooperatives are also closely linked with women’s empowerment through SHG-led models.
Sugar Cooperatives
- The state has a limited but influential presence of sugar cooperatives, supporting cane cultivation, sugar production and rural employment.
- Cooperative sugar mills contribute to ethanol and bio-energy production in line with national blending targets.
Fisheries Cooperatives
- Fisheries cooperatives are vital in both coastal and inland regions, enabling access to credit, modern fishing practices and better market linkages.
Handloom & Weaver Cooperatives
- Andhra Pradesh is home to prominent handloom clusters such as Mangalagiri, Venkatagiri and Dharmavaram.
- Weaver cooperatives help preserve traditional crafts while facilitating marketing, raw material supply and welfare programmes.
Role in Rural Development
Cooperatives act as engines of income generation, employment creation and last-mile delivery of welfare schemes.
- They enhance collective bargaining power, improve supply chains and widen market access for rural communities.
- Women-led cooperatives and SHG networks under SERP form one of India’s strongest community institutions, significantly contributing to social and economic empowerment.
Government Support
The Government of Andhra Pradesh continues to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem through:
- Digitalisation of PACS and improved e-governance systems.
- Modernisation and capacity-building of dairy and fisheries cooperatives.
- Support for handloom clusters and cooperative-based marketing networks.
- Integration of cooperatives into value-addition, processing and rural infrastructure development.
Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges
- Modernisation requirements across ageing cooperative infrastructure.
- Financial strengthening of PACS and major federations.
- Increasing competitiveness in sugar, handloom and dairy sectors.
Opportunities
- Expansion of ethanol and biofuel production through sugar cooperatives.
- Upgrading dairy cooperatives with improved cold-chain and processing capacity.
- Strengthening fisheries cooperatives through export-oriented value chains.
- Enhancing digital transformation, transparency and MIS-based governance.
Andhra Pradesh Cooperative Societies Acts
The cooperative sector in Andhra Pradesh is governed by two key legislations:
A.P. Cooperative Societies Act, 1964
The older legislation provides a regulatory framework for cooperatives receiving government support and consequential intervention in the governance. The Act was significantly amended in 2001 to promote autonomy, reduce government intervention and align cooperative governance with cooperative principles.
A.P. Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies (MACS) Act, 1995
The MACS Act aims to promote autonomous, self-reliant and member-driven cooperatives. It enables societies to frame their own by-laws and operate with greater flexibility, contributing to a more vibrant cooperative movement in the state.
Cooperative Data for Andhra Pradesh
According to the National Cooperative Database:
17,659 Primary Cooperative Societies
- Of the primary cooperatives, 13,556 are functional.
- Nearly 80% of all societies operate in rural areas.
- Anantapur and SPSR Nellore districts have the highest number of primary cooperatives
12 Multi-State Cooperatives
9 State Federations
13 District Cooperative Banks
Sector-wise society numbers include:
2,135 Fisheries Cooperatives
Fisheries cooperatives account for 2,73,902 members (about 2.8%).
2,047 PACS
2,047 PACS account for the largest membership i.e 67,27,240 members (around 70% of total cooperative membership).
1,627 Livestock & Poultry Cooperatives
1,527 Labour Cooperatives
812 Dairy Cooperatives
Top Cooperative Societies in Andhra Pradesh
- Top 10 PACS in Andhra Pradesh
- Top 10 Dairy Cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh
- Top 10 Fishery Cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh
- Top 10 Urban Cooperative Banks (UCB) in Andhra Pradesh
- Top 10 Housing Cooperative Society (HCS) in Andhra Pradesh
- Top 10 Credit & thrift Society in Andhra Pradesh
State Cooperation Department
Co-Operation Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh
Sky Lark Towers, D.No.2-16-83, 11th Line, Syamala Nagar, Guntur 522006
Tel: 0863-2336200, 0863 – 2320600, 0863 – 2336500, 0863 – 2336400
Email: rcscooperation@gmail.com
Website: https://apcooperation.nic.in
State Registrar of Cooperative Societies
Commissioner for Co-operation and Registrar of Co-operative Societies
SKY LARK TOWERS, D.No.2-16-83,
11th Line, Syamala Nagar, Guntur 522006
Phone: 0863-2336200
Website: https://apcooperation.nic.in
