Rytu Sangham demands higher price for cotton

Warangal: Telangana Rythu Sangham on Sunday complained that the State government and Cotton Corporation of India were ignoring the woes of cotton farmers in the state.

Sangham leaders S Vasudeva Reddy and Ch Rangaiah told presspersons here that though the government announced Rs 4,050 a quintal as minimum support price to cotton, the farmers were denied of even that low price.

Yet the government and the CCI had not initiated any measures to address the issue. In view of the severe drought conditions, the cotton yield was low during the current season. On an average, the farmers were able to get two to three quintals per acre.

But sadly, the farmers were not able to get profitable price for cotton because of the alleged negligent attitude of the government and the CCI authorities in Warangal and other districts in Telangana, Sangham leaders alleged. They complained that the farmers were being given Rs 3,500 to 3,700 per quintal of cotton.

Marketing Minister T Harish Rao had earlier announced that the government was setting up 70 cotton procurement centres across Telangana. But they were of no use. A procurement centre was set up at Enumamula agriculture market but only 5 to 10 quintals of cotton was purchased, the Sangham leaders said.

Vasudeva Reddy and Rangaiah demanded that the centre enhance the minimum support price to Rs 6,000 a quintal and direct the CCI to procure cotton at that price. They also demanded the state government to announce a bonus of Rs 1000 a quintal.

In order to put pressure on the State and Central governments to address the issue, the Sangham has planned to organise a Cotton Farmers Conference in Warangal on October 17, they said and appealed to the farmers to attend the conference in large numbers to share their views.