Cotton growers scoff at MSP bonus

Gandhinagar: Gandhinagar: Smarting under the humiliating electoral rout in rural Gujarat the Anandiben Patel government on Tuesday announced Rs 110 per 20kg bonus for cotton farmers who have been demanding an in crease in the minimum support price (MSP).
Cotton producers, most ly in Saurashtra, are staring at heavy losses in yield due to unseasonal rains and invasion of pink boll worm.
State government spokesman Nitin Patel said that after adding Rs 110 to the Rs 810 MSP given by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), farmers will now get Rs 920 per 20kg on their produce.
However, only those farmers selling their yield at CCI centres will be benefitted by the bonus. The government will credit the amount in farmers' accounts.
"Of around 90 lakh to 95 lakh cotton bales (one bale = 170kg) produced, around 25 lakh bales have been sold in the open market by the farmers. Farmers will get the benefit only on the un sold stock," added Patel.
Patel, however, was cautious when asked why the state government has not asked for any financial assistance from the central government.
"It's up to them, to give or not," he said.
I will raise the issue with govt: Radadia
Rajkot: The BJP government faced flak from its own senior leader when Porbandar MP and farmers leader Vitthal Radadia expressed dissatisfaction at the bonus amount. Talking to TOI, Radadia said that farmers must get at least Rs 1,000 per 20kg and the state government should double the bonus amount. "Rs 920 per 20kg is too less. I will raise the issue with the government in this regard," he said.