The Telangana Rythu Sangham State Vice-President Nunna Nageswara Rao said the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) should be more proactive besides relaxing stringent norms while procuring cotton. Speaking at the District committee meeting here on Saturday, he said the yield of the crop fell drastically due to unfavourable weather conditions.
He said as the CCI is not ready to procure the crop citing colour and moisture content, the traders were exploiting the farmers by offering just around Rs 2,300 per quintal against the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 4,320 per quintal fixed by the Central government.
“There were dry spells during the vegetative growth stage and then untimely rains during the harvesting thus, leading to crop loss.
Keeping this in view, the CCI should be lenient in regard with the moisture content and the colour while purchasing the crop,” Rao said. He demanded that the government hike the MSP Rs 7,000 per quintal besides offering Rs 1,000 bonus. He also urged the government to increase the number of CCI procurement centres to 13 in the erstwhile district of Khammam. He urged the farming community to attend the State-level dharna in Warangal on October 23 to exert pressure on the government. With the Srisailam Reservoir full to brim and the surplus waters flowing into Nagarjunasagar Dam, it is time for the authorities to release water to the Left Canal so that the ayacut farmers will get ready for Rabi. Rythu Sangham District Secretary Madineni Ramesh said the government should consider extending its financial support of Rs 4,000 per acre for the purpose of fertilisers to tenant and podu cultivators.

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