Solapurसोलापूर
43.2 lakh people. Larger than Kuwait, Mongolia, or Qatar. Governed as one cell of one state.
- Population
- 43,17,756 (43.2 lakh)
- Area
- 14,845 km²
- Headquarters
- Solapur
₹10,205 cr
of bankable business potential identified by the government in Solapur.
Source: NABARD PLP 2023-24
Opportunities
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NABARD's plan for Solapur · PLP 2023-24
₹10,205 crof bankable credit potential identified by the government
Crop production, maintenance & marketing
₹4,261 cr
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME)
₹2,115 cr
Term loans for agriculture & allied activities
₹2,049 cr
Ancillary activities (incl. food & agro processing)
₹675 cr
Solapur's NABARD credit plan for 2023-24 estimates about ₹10,205 crore of lending potential across the priority sector. Farming and allied activities take the lion's share at ₹7,188 crore (70%), while small businesses and industry (MSME) account for ₹2,115 crore (21%) - a notably large industrial slice for a district this rural.
The single biggest opportunity is everyday crop loans at ₹4,261 crore for Bajra, Maize, Tur, Soyabean, Jowar and Wheat. Beyond that, the plan points to a few clear clusters. Export-quality fruit - pomegranate, banana and grapes - supports ₹566 crore of term lending and is flagged for processing and export. Dairy is worth ₹447 crore, with Solapur among Maharashtra's top five for milk. Food and agro processing carries ₹580 crore of potential, and six farmer-producer groups (one at Kumbhari running a dal mill, oil mill and cattle-feed unit) are already being built. On the industry side, the district leans on 9 MIDC zones, around 2,500 power looms making the GI-tagged Solapur Chaddar, and a large Bidi-making trade.
The plan is candid about what holds the district back: agriculture term lending is too low, farmers lack awareness of modern hi-tech practices, and there are too few cold stores, rural godowns and processing units. Irrigation reaches only about 39% of land, so it urges drip irrigation - especially for thirsty sugarcane - and pushes grouping small farmers into FPOs so they can borrow and grow at scale.
What the plan promotes
- Crop credit dominates at ₹4,261.30 cr (42% of the plan): Kharif crops Bajra, Maize, Tur (Arhar), Moong, Urad and Soyabean; Rabi Jowar, Wheat, Maize. Total agriculture loan potential for 2023-24 is ₹7,188 cr.
- Plantation & horticulture term lending of ₹566.17 cr for export-quality Pomegranate, Banana and Grapes, grown on large scale; the PLP flags these fruit crops for capital investment and international/domestic export.
- Dairy term loans of ₹446.81 cr - Solapur ranks in the top five in Maharashtra for milk production, with a strong network of milk demand across the district and adjacent districts; 1,332 AH (milk/fishery/poultry) co-operative societies.
- Farm mechanisation potential of ₹439.70 cr and water-resources/minor irrigation ₹258.50 cr; thrust on Drip & Sprinkler micro-irrigation and lift irrigation, especially to cut salinity from flood-irrigated sugarcane (~1.71 lakh ha under cane).
- Food & agro processing potential of ₹580.40 cr; six (06) FPOs are being promoted (two women-led, ~2,800 farmers, ₹28 lakh share capital). One FPO at Kumbhari village, South Solapur, got a SMART-project grant for a Mini Dal Mill, Oil Mill, Cattle Feed unit and Pack house.
- MSME potential of ₹2,115 cr (21% of plan) anchored on 9 MIDC areas, textiles/garments and ~2,500 power looms producing Chadders, Towels and Napkins (exported); Bidi making is another major activity, with 115 Bidi units.
Gaps the plan names
- Agriculture term lending needs to be increased - concerted, coordinated effort is required from Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Water Resource departments, research institutions and all banks to lift capital-formation credit.
- Lack of awareness about Hi-Tech and improved agricultural & horticultural practices among farmers; line departments and research institutes need to create proper awareness.
- Small & marginal farmers (5.52 lakh, 71% of holders, holding 35% of agricultural land) need to be aggregated into FPOs to take up agriculture and horticulture at scale, with timely and adequate credit.
- Shortage of agro-processing units, rural godowns and cold storage; promoting these is needed for value addition and better farm-gate prices.
- Low irrigation intensity (about 39%) with gaps in critical irrigation infrastructure; need to popularise Drip irrigation in sugarcane, which has the highest water needs and causes salinity under flood irrigation.
See the plan's recommendations
What the plan promotes
- Crop credit dominates at ₹4,261.30 cr (42% of the plan): Kharif crops Bajra, Maize, Tur (Arhar), Moong, Urad and Soyabean; Rabi Jowar, Wheat, Maize. Total agriculture loan potential for 2023-24 is ₹7,188 cr.
- Plantation & horticulture term lending of ₹566.17 cr for export-quality Pomegranate, Banana and Grapes, grown on large scale; the PLP flags these fruit crops for capital investment and international/domestic export.
- Dairy term loans of ₹446.81 cr - Solapur ranks in the top five in Maharashtra for milk production, with a strong network of milk demand across the district and adjacent districts; 1,332 AH (milk/fishery/poultry) co-operative societies.
- Farm mechanisation potential of ₹439.70 cr and water-resources/minor irrigation ₹258.50 cr; thrust on Drip & Sprinkler micro-irrigation and lift irrigation, especially to cut salinity from flood-irrigated sugarcane (~1.71 lakh ha under cane).
- Food & agro processing potential of ₹580.40 cr; six (06) FPOs are being promoted (two women-led, ~2,800 farmers, ₹28 lakh share capital). One FPO at Kumbhari village, South Solapur, got a SMART-project grant for a Mini Dal Mill, Oil Mill, Cattle Feed unit and Pack house.
- MSME potential of ₹2,115 cr (21% of plan) anchored on 9 MIDC areas, textiles/garments and ~2,500 power looms producing Chadders, Towels and Napkins (exported); Bidi making is another major activity, with 115 Bidi units.
Gaps the plan names
- Agriculture term lending needs to be increased - concerted, coordinated effort is required from Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Water Resource departments, research institutions and all banks to lift capital-formation credit.
- Lack of awareness about Hi-Tech and improved agricultural & horticultural practices among farmers; line departments and research institutes need to create proper awareness.
- Small & marginal farmers (5.52 lakh, 71% of holders, holding 35% of agricultural land) need to be aggregated into FPOs to take up agriculture and horticulture at scale, with timely and adequate credit.
- Shortage of agro-processing units, rural godowns and cold storage; promoting these is needed for value addition and better farm-gate prices.
- Low irrigation intensity (about 39%) with gaps in critical irrigation infrastructure; need to popularise Drip irrigation in sugarcane, which has the highest water needs and causes salinity under flood irrigation.
Value-chain gaps
Money this district loses today
Raw output sold cheap, value added elsewhere — each gap below is an opening for a local business.
Resources
What this district has
Tap a category to see the facts and figures underneath. Numbers marked unverified are AI-extracted and need a sourcing pass.
About Solapur
Solapur district is a district in Maharashtra state of India. The city of Solapur is the district headquarters. It is located on the south east edge of the state and lies entirely in the Bhima and Seena basins. The entire district is drained by the Bhima River.
Source: Wikipedia — Solapur district
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