Adilabad: Cotton farmers are continuously being exploited by private traders who are offering them a price that is lower than the minimum support price of Rs 5,450 per quintal.
Farmers are not getting good price even when there is good demand for cotton in the international market. Private cotton traders are exploiting gullible farmers at the cotton markets despite District collector Divya Devarajan’s efforts to see that cotton farmers get a good price for their cotton produce.
She inspected Adilabad Agriculture Market and asked the farmers to sell their cotton to the Mandal Samakyas at the purchasing centres established at 23 centres in identified villages in Adilabad district.
The Collector said that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) will pay the amount in two days if it purchases cotton from the farmers and asked the farmers to sell their cotton to the CCIs for an MSP '5,450 per quintal.
She warned the private traders of filing criminal cases against them if they are found pressuring the cotton farmers to sell their cotton to them only.
The cotton farmers who had already incurred huge loss, due to low yield, following bad weather conditions are being exploited by the private cotton traders who want to buy cotton at low prices.
The cotton yield has drastically come down in this Kharif season due to pink bollworm and floods. Very few cotton farmers, who got water facility, managed the loss.
The Cotton Commission Agents allegedly colluded with the private cotton traders and have been forcing the farmers to sell their cotton to the private traders instead of Mandal Samakya (SHGs) or CCIs.
Private cotton traders are spreading rumours that there has been no demand for the cotton in the international market and that they cannot offer the MSP even at times when the cotton quality is good.
