New Delhi: India’s cooperative ecosystem is a pillar of rural livelihoods, urban financial inclusion and inclusive growth. From dairy and fertilisers to credit societies and banks, a few cooperatives stand out for scale, impact, and member empowerment. Here’s a curated list of India’s top 10 operational cooperatives and cooperative banks in 2025, considering business volume, membership, operational reach and impact.
1. Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF / AMUL)
- Sector: Dairy
- Headquarters: Anand, Gujarat
- Website: https://amul.com/index.php
- Overview: Manages the Amul brand — India’s largest dairy cooperative, central to the White Revolution that made India the world’s largest milk producer.
- Impact: Operates across districts through member unions, empowering millions of farmers while driving massive dairy output and value-added product markets.
2. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)
- Sector: Fertilizers & Agriculture Inputs
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Website: https://www.iffco.in/
- Overview: Among the largest multi-state cooperatives globally, supplying fertilizers and agronomic support to tens of millions of farmers through thousands of member societies.
- Impact: Ranked among the world’s top cooperatives by GDP per capita performance.
3. Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO)
- Sector: Fertilizers & Agri Services
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Website: https://www.kribhco.net/
- Overview: Major agricultural cooperative focused on fertilizer production/distribution and farmer services, complementing larger entities like IFFCO in enhancing farm productivity.
4. Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF / Milma)
- Sector: Dairy
- Headquarters: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Website: https://www.milma.com/
- Overview: Major state-level dairy cooperative with a strong market presence and profitable operations supporting milk producers across Kerala.
5. Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd (ULCCS)
- Sector: Worker & Construction Cooperative
- Headquarters: Kozhikode, Kerala
- Website: https://ulccsltd.com/home
- Overview: Oldest and one of India’s most successful worker cooperatives (est. 1925), specialising in civil infrastructure — roads, bridges, public works — executed for government and public clients.
- Unique Role: Showcases the labour cooperative model as a sustainable alternative to conventional contracting.
6. Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF / Nandini)
- Sector: Dairy
- Headquarters: Karnataka
- Website: https://www.kmfnandini.coop/
- Overview: Second only to GCMMF in scale among Indian dairy cooperatives, marketing milk and dairy products under the Nandini brand and enhancing farmer incomes.
7. Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (OMFED)
- Sector: Dairy
- Headquarters: Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- Website: https://omfed.com/
- Overview: Leading dairy cooperative in eastern India, operating on the Amul-model to procure, process and market milk and allied products, boosting rural incomes.
8. Saraswat Cooperative Bank Ltd.
- Sector: Urban Cooperative Bank
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Website: https://www.saraswat.bank.in/
- Overview: Saraswat Bank has 280+ branches across six states. Often cited among India’s top growing cooperative banks, with strong digital banking initiatives and robust retail/business deposit and lending portfolios.
- Impact: Saraswat Bank is frequently benchmarked as a leading urban-centric cooperative bank, combining financial scale with member service breadth.
9. Buldana Urban Co-operative Credit Society Ltd (BUCCS)
- Sector: Credit & Financial Services
- Headquarters: Buldana, Maharashtra
- Website: https://buldanaurban.in/
- Overview: India’s largest cooperative credit society — with hundreds of branches and ~1.7 million members — offering loans, deposits, warehouse financing and banking services.
- Relevance: Known for robust member-centric financial products and broad geographical reach.
10. National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED)
- Sector: Agricultural Marketing
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Website: https://www.nafed-india.com/
- Overview: Major cooperative involved in procurement, marketing, and price stabilization of agricultural commodities, especially pulses, oilseeds, and grains, to protect farmers and consumers.
Why Cooperatives Matter Now
- According to the Ministry of Cooperation, India has over 8.4 lakh registered cooperative societies, with a combined membership exceeding 32 crore people, making it one of the largest cooperative movements in the world. Know more about the cooperative sector in India.
- These societies operate across more than 30 economic and social sectors, touching nearly every district of the country.
- India’s cooperative movement influences food security, rural incomes, credit access and market linkages across millions of members and households.
- Dairy and farming cooperatives like GCMMF (Amul) and IFFCO rank among the top in the world Cooperative Monitor, reflecting both economic scale and social impact.
Also read:
- Cooperative Sector in India
- Major Initiatives of the Ministry of Cooperation: From Vision to Action
- National Cooperation Policy 2025
- FAQ on National Cooperation Policy 2025
- Top 10 Cooperative Banks in India
Disclaimer:
This list is compiled for informational purposes using publicly available data and credible sources. Inclusion does not constitute ranking, endorsement, or financial recommendation. Data may change over time, and readers are advised to consult official filings for the latest information.
