Harish wants Centre to hike cotton MSP to `5,000

The Marketing Minister meets Union Textiles Minister Sanjay Kumar Panda in Delhi

Hyderabad: In an effort to encourage cotton farmers in the State who are in distress due to lack of sufficient returns for their produce, Marketing and Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao on Tuesday urged the Centre to increase minimum support price (MSP) of cotton to Rs 5,000 from the existing Rs 4,100. The Minister called on Union Textiles Minister Sanjay Kumar Panda in Delhi along with MPs B Vinod Kumar, Jithender Reddy, K Prabhakar Reddy and Telangana Special Representative in Delhi Ramachandra Tejavath.

Speaking to media persons later, Harish Rao said he had apprised the Union Minister ans requested him to direct officials to procure the entire cotton produce available with the farmers. Though the Centre promised to set up 84 cotton purchase centres to procure all cotton from the farmers, so far only 45 centres were opened, he said. Harish Rao also said he had complained to Panda that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) officials were not purchasing cotton to the full extent and denying MSP to the farmers.

Besides pressing the Centre for hike in MSP for cotton produce to help farmers, Harish Rao asked the Centre to direct CCI to purchase all cotton available with the farmers. Till last November, the CCI had purchased about one lakh quintals of cotton from the farmers, but this time they procured only 15,000 quintals, he deplored. Harish Rao also said he asked Panda to raise moisture percentage of cotton from 12.5 per cent to 20 per cent and take all steps to help the farmers.

The Marketing Minister also called on Union Civil Supplies Secretary Vrinda Sarup and asked her to extend all possible help to farmers who cultivate maize crop in Telangana. He also discussed with Vrinda the issues related to Civil Supplies department and sought more stocks of essential commodities to cater to the growing needs.