State to purchase cotton from Next yr

The state government will purchase cotton produce from the farmers from next year onwards through state agencies Nafed and Markfed to benefit the farmers and to ensure remunerative price as the CCI officials are not doing justice to the farmers and Central government is not extending help to the cotton farmers.

Efforts are being made to this effect by the ministry of Marketing led by T. Harish Rao and the issue was taken up and thoroughly discussed in the wake of farmers were not getting MSP Rs 4,100 announced by the Central government since CCI is not purchasing cotton from the farmers citing high moisture content than the permissible 8-12 percent moisture content percent in the cotton.

This problem arose in major cotton growing districts including Adilabad, Warangal and Karimnagar in the state. 

Minister Jogu Ramanna said the Nafed and Markfed have their own staff and machinery and godowns to start commercial cotton purchases but it was not possible for this year and said certainly they will purchase cotton through Nafed and Markfed to do justice instead depending on central government and CCI.

‘State government is of the opinion to strengthen its own agencies to purchase cotton by next year and they were doing exercise for this’, said Minister and added that so far total 71,798 quintals of cotton and in that CCI has purchased only 453 quintals in this Kharif season in the district.

According to official sources, the CCI has opened 14 cotton purchasing centre but the cotton purchases has taken place only at five centres in the district. Farmers are not selling their cotton to the CCI due to imposing restriction on the percent of   moisture content in the cotton produce.