In view of the expected increase in the extent of cotton cultivation during the current kharif season in Telangana, the State Government has requested the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to open 150 purchase (procurement) centres when the fibre crop production starts arriving into the market later this year.
Minister for Marketing T. Harish Rao made the request to CCI Chairman and Managing Director M.M. Chockalingam at a review meeting held here on Tuesday with the officials of Marketing Department and CCI. Later, the two inaugurated the third branch office of the CCI in Telangana at Mahabubnagar. The CCI already has its offices at Warangal and Adilabad.
Speaking after inaugurating the Mahabubnagar office, Mr. Harish Rao explained that cultivation of cotton was expected to be in about 17.5 lakh hectares this season and the production was estimated to be around 19.15 lakh bales (or 32.55 lakh quintals).
He stressed the need for opening more purchase centres since the cultivation was expected to be 20% more than the last year and the matter was already brought to the notice of Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Z. Irani earlier this month. He thanked the Centre – Food Corporation of India (FCI) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) for procuring about 21 lakh quintals of redgram during 2016-17 with the help of State Government agencies – MARKFED, HACA and DCMS. Further, the Minister asked the officials to make arrangements for procurement of cotton through e-NAM system and the payment was made to the farmers concerned within 48 hours of their selling the produce.
He also requested the CCI to take steps to purchase second quality cotton that would get discoloured following its picking after October/November rains.
Quality testing labs
Mr. Chockalingam stated that the CCI would set up cotton quality testing labs at 125 places across the country this year and they could be set up either by the State Governments or their agencies and the Centre would provide equipment costing Rs.1.5 core per every lab with 90% subsidy.
