There is evidence to believe that Latur was developed as a trading hub nine decades ago. It lies on a major trade route that used to connect north-west India's sea and land ports to the Deccan region.
Industry
The city is a major sugarcane and edible oils, soyabean, grapes and mango production center. A fine blend of mango with locally grown mangoes was developed as Keshar Amba.
Till 1990, Latur languished as a city, remaining an industrially backward. In 1960, region of Marathwada was merged with Maharashtra. This was the time when the industrial development of the Marathwada region began, propelled through designated backward area benefits. And it was only when the MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) began acquiring land and setting up industrial estates that it began to grow. but still the majority small and medium scale industries are agriculture based and not industry based.
City is now home to some best known brands. There are Tinna Oils, Kirti Gold, Videocon, and Kalantry Group's Agro Processing and dal manufacturing units to name a few. Many players have their manufacturing bases in Latur, in the sectors of Agro Processing and Edible Oils and consumer durables, plastic processing, aluminium processing, agriculture and biotech. Among Agro Processing Ramkee Infrastructure along with IL&FS would be starting their plant in Latur, which is Largest Agro Based SEZ in Maharashtra.
The Latur, Additional Latur and Khandapur MIDC Industrial Areas are prominent industrial zones on the outskirts of the city, with various major multinational groups having set up manufacturing or processing plants in and around the city. There is one Special Economic Zone (SEZ) have been approved by central government for this city and these are, in Agro Processing SEZ. An electronic goods major Videocon will soon establish plant for manufacturing of CFL's &
