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Floods in Maharashtra have affected crops on nearly 6 million hectares, Shinde said on Tuesday.Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Tuesday that crops on more than 6 million hectares in the state are estimated to have been damaged due to heavy rains and subsequent floods, and a decision on providing financial assistance to farmers will be taken in the next few days.Last week's torrential rains and floods in Maharashtra damaged crops on millions of acres, including eight districts in the Marathwada region and Solapur, Satara, and Sangli in western Maharashtra.Addressing a press conference here, Shinde said, "We will not hesitate to help farmers. We believe that rules and norms should be set aside when helping farmers and we should stand behind them. Whenever such losses occur, it is the government's responsibility to help people in such a disaster."He said, "Not only have the rains damaged crops, but the floods have also washed away fertile soil from the fields." Farms and homes have also been affected."The Deputy Chief Minister said that panchnama reports have started coming in, and it is estimated that crops on more than 6 million hectares in the state have been damaged.He said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and he himself will discuss the matter and decide on providing assistance to farmers within two to three days.Shinde said, "The central and state governments stand with the farmers. Now is the time to wipe away their tears."The Shiv Sena leader said he has instructed Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar to ensure that infectious diseases do not spread in the flood-affected districts.read more:-  CCI to procure cotton at MSP at 14 centres from October 1

CCI to start cotton procurement at MSP from Oct 1 at 14 centres₹7,710 per quintal for medium-staple cotton and ₹8,110 per quintal for high-quality cotton.The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), a central agency, will begin cotton procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at 14 locations in five districts of the semi-arid region from Wednesday. Bathinda and Muktsar will have a maximum of four centers each, followed by three in Mansa and one in Fazilka. The CCI will open a market in Barnala.(SIS)The CCI enters the market only when private buyers offer prices below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). According to Punjab Mandi Board data, about 30,000 quintals of cotton had arrived in the South Malwa districts as of Tuesday.Stakeholders said the CCI's arrival could stabilize cotton prices, as farmers are being paid ₹6,800-7,000 per quintal, which is ₹1,000-1,200 less than this season's MSP.For the current Rabi marketing season, the central government has fixed the price at ₹7,710 per quintal for medium-staple cotton and ₹8,110 per quintal for better-quality cotton.(SIS)State and CCI officials attributed this to the low prices and high moisture content of unginned cotton (raw crop that still contains seeds) brought to the market by farmers.Experts say the decline in demand from the textile sector in the Indian and global markets has destabilized the market, and the CCI's arrival is expected to improve prices.New App for Seamless ProcurementOfficial sources said that a new mobile application, the "Cotton Farmer" app, developed by the Central Council of Trade Unions (CCI), has been launched to ensure transparent and seamless procurement of the cash crop. The CCI has extended the registration period until October 31.The new mobile app allows farmers to self-register, book slots, and track payments. Officials stated, "This app facilitates payment tracking by farmers, bringing greater transparency, convenience, and speed to the cotton procurement process."Mandi Board data shows that 46%, or 13,000 quintals, of the total cotton crop was procured below the MSP.(SIS)CCI officials stated that cotton was sown on 1.19 lakh hectares this year, and the state agriculture department estimates production at 2.80 lakh bales, or 12.45 lakh quintals.However, Mukul Tayal, President of the Indian Cotton Association Limited (ICAL), said that unseasonal rains have severely affected the cotton crop."According to our estimates, Punjab will produce 1.50 lakh bales or 6.67 quintals of cotton as rains have hampered the prospects of a good harvest. Cotton is being sold at a lower price in the initial stages as the crop brought to the market has high moisture content due to unseasonal rains. We hope that the CCI will play a key role in stabilizing the downward trend in prices by private traders," Tayal said.Cotton arrivals (till September 29): 30,000 quintals(SIS)Purchased by private players: 28,000 quintalsBelow MSP: 13,000 quintalsDistrict-wise arrivalsFazilka 16,000 quintalsBathinda 6,000 quintalsMansa 5,000 quintalsMuktsar 3,000 quintalsCCI centersBathinda 4  Muktsar 4   Mansa 3Fazilka 2    Barnala 1read more :- INR Opens Stronger by 04 Paise at 88.77

 Rupee opens 04 paise up at 88.77 on easing dollar indexThe currency opened at 88.77 against the dollar. The rupee had ended the previous session at 88.81.

Rupee Falls to 88.81/$At market close, the Sensex was down 1.75 points or 0.00 percent at 80,363.19, and the Nifty was down 7.40 points or 0.03 percent at 24,627.50. About 1813 shares advanced, 1895 shares declined, and 138 shares remained unchanged.Read More:-  CCI-ginning mill dispute leaves cotton farmers confused

CCI–Ginning Mills Deadlock Leaves Cotton Farmers in Limbo in GunturGuntur: Cotton farmers in Guntur are facing uncertainty as the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has failed to reach an agreement with ginning mills to operationalize procurement centres for the upcoming season.Despite extending the tender deadline twice, CCI has not been able to finalize bids, as ginning mill operators have boycotted the process, demanding changes in tender conditions. This ongoing deadlock has created confusion and anxiety among farmers.Falling Prices Add to Farmer ConcernsWith fears of further price decline during the peak arrival season, many farmers are rushing to sell their existing stocks. Cotton prices have already dropped to around ₹6,500–₹7,000 per quintal, even in the off-season, intensifying concerns.The situation has been further impacted by the government’s temporary removal of import duty, which has weakened domestic market sentiment.MSP Announced, But Procurement StalledAlthough the government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to ₹8,110 per quintal and directed CCI to begin procurement, the process remains stalled due to the ongoing disagreement with ginning mills.CCI had initially planned to finalize tenders by September 1, later extending the deadline to September 25 following protests. However, no mills have participated so far.Key Demands by Ginning MillsGinning mill operators have placed several demands, including:Region-wise tender allocationRemoval of minimum bid requirementsEqual participation opportunity for all millsNo fixed deadline for farmers to bring cotton stocksWhile mills prefer flexible procurement timing for farmers, CCI insists on a structured schedule to ensure proper monitoring and transparency in procurement.Awaiting Government InterventionAccording to sources, CCI has forwarded these demands to the Union Ministry of Commerce and is awaiting further direction. A CCI official stated that allowing unrestricted stock arrivals without a schedule could make monitoring difficult and affect accurate farmer identification.read more :- Telangana: Minister urges CCI to procure cotton

Telengana :  Minister Thummala urges Centre to procure cotton through CCIHYDERABAD: Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao urged Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh to initiate measures to procure cotton in Telangana through Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) from October 1.On Monday, the state minister wrote a letter to the Union minister in this regard.He explained that in the ongoing season, cotton was cultivated in around 43.29 lakh acres and 24.7 lakh metric tonnes of cotton is estimated to be produced in the state.“Though the CCI has invited tenders, ginning mills have not participated. With this, the procurement has been stopped. Now, the market rate of cotton in the state is at Rs 6,700 per quintal, while the minimum support price (MSP) is Rs 8,110 per quintal. In this situation, the farmers may do a distress sale,” he said in his letter.Meanwhile, Nageswara Rao instructed the Marketing department officials to form local monitoring committees to ensure smooth procurement [process at all centres.read more :- INR Opens Stronger by 07 Paise at 88.69

 Indian rupee opens 07 paise higher at 88.69/USD as Dollar Index easesIndian rupee opened at 88.69 per dollar on Tuesday versus Monday's close of 88.76.read more :- Rupee fell 09 paise to close at 88.76 per dollar 

The Indian rupee on monday lower 09 paise to close at 88.76 per dollar, while it opened at 88.67 in the morning.At close, the Sensex was down 61.52 points or 0.08 percent at 80,364.94, and the Nifty was down 19.80 points or 0.08 percent at 24,634.90. About 1837 shares advanced, 2163 shares declined, and 171 shares unchanged.read more :- Rain ruins cotton in Khargone, causing losses worth Rs 2 crore

Madhya Pradesh: Continuous rains have devastated the cotton crop in Khargone district: Losses amounting to ₹2 crore; picking and auctioning halted due to increased humidity.Continuous rains in Khargone district have caused significant damage to the cotton crop. Losses from farms to ginning units are estimated at over ₹2 crore in this district, the state's largest cotton producer. Excessive humidity has affected the quality of cotton, which hasThe district has been experiencing intermittent heavy rains for the past week, damaging the standing cotton crop. Farmers are trying to dry cotton at home, while ginning operators are also drying cotton on their premises. The moisture content of more than 25 percent has severely affected the quality of the cotton.The loss of luster in the cotton has increased the risk of its quality deteriorating.Losses estimated at crores. Pritesh Agarwal, operator of KK Fibers, reported that 700 quintals of cotton stored for drying at his ginning facility were soaked and washed away by the rain and flooding. The city's ginning business has suffered a total loss of over 2 crore rupees. The loss of cotton's luster has increased the risk of its quality being compromised.Due to the rain, farmers are unable to have their cotton picked from the fields. Due to a labor shortage and the closure of procurement in the market, wet cotton is falling off the plants and turning black due to the rain. Farmers have also suffered losses of over 1 crore rupees due to the rain and falling cotton prices.read more :- Cotton production in India is estimated to be 320-325 lakh bales by 2025-26.

Cotton is projected to reach 320-325 lakh bales in 2025-26, says the President of the Indian Cotton FederationThe Indian Cotton Federation (ICF), formerly known as the South India Cotton Association, held its 46th Annual General Meeting on 28th September 2025 at GKS Cotton Chambers.Thulasidharan was re-elected as President, while Nataraj and Aditya Krishna Pathy were re-elected as Vice Presidents. Nishant Asher continues as Honorary Secretary, and Chetan Joshi as Honorary Joint Secretary for 2025-26.At the meeting, Thulasidharan highlighted a growing global movement towards natural, sustainable fibres. “Consumers and brands alike are rethinking synthetics and demanding eco-friendly alternatives. This is a moment tailor-made for cotton, and our association will fully pursue this trend—working to position Indian cotton as the fibre of choice in a planet-conscious era,” he said.Sharing the forecast for cotton production in India for 2025-26, the President stated that the cultivation area is estimated at about 12 million hectares. With favourable climatic conditions, the crop is projected to reach 320-325 lakh bales.During his interaction with the press, Thulasidharan noted that allocation of funds for cotton research has been very low over the past decade. “While the government previously prioritised food crops, it is now set to allocate Rs. 2,500 crore for cotton research. There is great potential for India to double its cotton yield. With strong research, technology, and implementation, a yield of 500 lakh bales is not far-fetched for India in the future,” he remarked.Nataraj, in his address, acknowledged that global competition, tariff barriers, and the rise of synthetics remain real challenges. However, he emphasised that the worldwide shift towards sustainability, natural fibres, and traceability presents immense opportunities. “This is where India must lead,” he said.He further added that with its vast cotton production, strong spinning sector, and integrated textile value chain, India is uniquely positioned to strengthen its role in global supply chains. “Today, the world is looking for reliable, sustainable, and responsible sourcing partners. If we continue to improve quality, enhance efficiency, and align with global sustainability standards, Indian cotton and textiles can become the preferred choice for international buyers,” he stated.Nishant Asher said that going forward, the federation will aim to strengthen government interaction and expand its direct engagement with policymakers to ensure Indian cotton gets the support it deserves.read more :- Tamil Nadu may get Rs 100 crore from the central government for cotton production

Tamil Nadu may receive ₹100 crore from the central government to increase cotton productivity.The central government's Cotton Productivity Mission could prove to be a game-changer for Tamil Nadu's textile industry. This initiative aims to double farmers' income and cotton production and modernize ginning units. Tamil Nadu is expected to receive approximately ₹100 crore out of the total allocation of ₹5,900 crore.Industry experts say that if the plan is effectively implemented, Tamil Nadu's dependence on expensive cotton imports will decrease and the state will become more competitive in global markets.According to K. Selvaraju, general secretary of the South India Mills Association, Tamil Nadu's textile mills require approximately 12 million bales of cotton annually, while the state produces only about 500,000 bales. He said that with the right interventions, production could reach 2.5 million bales. The goal should be to reach at least 1.5 million bales by 2030.Selvaraju explained that a key focus of the mission is seed development and agricultural research. Currently, farmers plant 25,000 plants per hectare, but high-density planting technology can increase this number to 60,000. Pilot projects have also been conducted in some areas over the past two years.Currently, Tamil Nadu cultivates approximately 1.75 lakh hectares of cotton, which could be increased to 2 lakh hectares under the mission. The state is one of the few regions where cotton is cultivated in both winter and summer seasons, increasing the potential for extra-long staple cotton.He also stated that labor shortages are a major challenge in cotton cultivation, making mechanization crucial.Another important aspect of the mission is the modernization of ginning machinery. Ginning technology in Tamil Nadu is outdated, and upgrading it will improve both cotton quality and efficiency. (Sampurna Agro)Indian Cotton Federation President J. Thulaseedharan said that research has been receiving very little funding for a long time. He said that significant improvements in Tamil Nadu's productivity are possible if soil- and climate-specific seed varieties, precision farming techniques, and research institutions like the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Coimbatore are developed and supported.He also said that as productivity increases, production costs will decrease, MSP pressure will ease, and Indian cotton will become more competitive globally.Currently, cotton is cultivated in the state in areas such as Kumbakonam, Perambalur, Manapparai, Ottanchatram, Vasudevanallur, and Kovilpatti.read more :- Cotton crop damaged in Khammam