Cotton farmers, who had cultivated cotton crop braving bad weather conditions with deficit rainfall, are worried a lot over the non-availability of minimum support price to their hard-earned produced in Karimnagar district.
Due to bad weather, there was poor yield of the cotton crop. Though late, the cotton crop arrivals had started at various agricultural market yards in the district. But, the farmers were denied of MSP of Rs. 4,100 per quintal. Instead, the farmers were forced to sell their produce below Rs. 3,500 per quintal.
Irked over non-availability of MSP, the farmers came on to the streets and staged a rasta roko in front of agricultural market yard in Karimnagar.
The farmers alleged that the traders had colluded with the officials and denied MSP to the cotton produce on the pretext of the more moisture content.
The farmers urged the authorities concerned to ensure that the farmers secured MSP to their produce as they have huge investments for the cultivation of the crop.
Contrary to the expectations, the crop yield had also come down by more than 40 per cent due to dry weather conditions, they added.
Karimnagar Agriculture Market Committee secretary S. Krishnaiah said that the problem of securing MSP would be solved once the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) enters into the market and starts procurement.
He also informed the farmers to get clean and dried up cotton with less moisture content to the market to secure MSP.
The traders and CCI would allow moisture content up to 8 per cent and provide MSP of Rs. 4,100 per quintal, he said.
On the other hand, the farmers were straight away getting the cotton produce from the fields to the market with lots of moisture content and hence they were denied of MSP.
CCI authorities said that they would enter the market for the procurement of cotton from the farmers from October 14 onwards.
“We will open CCI procurement centres in 11 market yards in the district”, they said and added that “the crop is just arriving into the market and we are expecting huge arrivals before the Dasara festival as the farmers need money for the festivities.
They also appealed farmers not to resort to distress sale of their produce and assured MSP if the farmers get cleaned and dried up cotton.
Instead of Rs. 4,100 per quintal, they are forced to sell their produce below
Rs. 3,500 per quintal
