Even as paddy procurement is in full swing with centres weighing tonnes of produce everyday, Nalgonda braces for another large-scale exercise in cotton procurement, considered ‘more law & order-prone’, and centrally operated by the Cotton Corporation of India Limited (CCI).
A total of 2,35,408 hectares being the area sown in the season, the Agriculture Department has estimated that as much as 4.87 lakh tonnes of cotton would be brought to the market. According to them, the cotton figures of Nalgonda tops all the districts in Telangana.
District Collector V. Chandrasekhar, who called for an all-party awareness meet on Wednesday, observed that cotton procurement unlike paddy is more “sensitive and visible.” “Loaded vehicles would be piled and upset farmers vent their anger by protesting on the roads. The need is to educate them on permissible moisture in cotton, not to rely upon middlemen and through smooth procedure ensure their minimum support price,” he said.
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Explaining the scheme, CCI Deputy General Manager (Mahabubnagar) P. Amarnath Reddy said all its centres in the 22 ginning mills in the district would accept cotton bales with moisture not exceeding 12%. For 8% moisture, the long staple variety gets ₹ 5, 550 per quintal and the medium staple gets ₹ 5,450 per quintal, and for increase in moisture by each per cent till 12%, the MSP is cut by 1%. And then rejected, if the lot also does not conform to ‘Fair Average Quailty’— saleability of the seed and the bale without quality complaints.
District Superintendent of Police A.V. Ranganath wondered as to what options the farmer is left with if the moisture is above 12%, and inquired about the reliability of the moisture testing meters. According to Mr. Reddy, all its testing meters are calibrated by the Central Institute for Cotton Research, and in cases of doubt officials can random check with meters of the Market Committee.
“The procurement this time is more transparent to benefit genuine farmers and keep traders off. All purchases will be through farmer’s photograph online, fingerprint approval and payments directly to respective bank accounts.”
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Nalgonda legislator K. Bhupal Reddy, Nagarajunasagar legislator Nomula Narsimhaiah, owners of ginning mills and a few farmers expressed their concerns over likely rejection for moisture and quality issues.