BATHINDA: Four times this harvesting season, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has stayed away from Abohar, one of the biggest raw cotton markets in Punjab, over quality issues and has come up with relaxations following protests. This slowed down purchases and created a crisis in sales, which benefited private agencies.
Cotton in the season 2023-24 is being sold at up to Rs 4,400 per quintal, while the minimum support price (MSP) is at Rs 6,920 for 27.5-28.5-mm long staple and Rs 6,770 for 26.5-27 mm long staple.
The harvesting season is from October to March–April. During this period, farmers occupied the Abohar-Fazilka highway thrice and blocked the gate of Abohar grain market once. Each time, the administration intervened and persuaded CCI to make the purchase. Even on Thursday evening, Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Senu Duggal and Senior Superintendent of Police Manjeet Singh Dhesi mediated between the protesting farmers and CCI, after which the corporation agreed to purchase the crop from Friday. During the days it remained away, about 30,000 quintals of raw cotton was deposited in the Labh market of Abohar, the crop of which also comes from Rajasthan.
Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board estimates that 10 lakh quintals of raw cotton will arrive for purchase by January 12. Of this, private players bought 8.2 lakh quintals or 82% of the stock, while the government agency bought only 18%. Private agencies purchased 2.61 lakh quintals or 26% of the stock below MSP. Cotton grower Gurdev Singh said: "It was a double blow for farmers as cotton coverage in Punjab dropped to the lowest in decades at 1.75 lakh hectares due to two seasons of pest attacks." Fellow cotton farmer Karnail Singh said: “That is why farmers demand legal guarantee of MSP. “How can the government think about diversification under these circumstances?”
Fazilka DC Senu Duggal said, “We formed a committee of farmers, CCI officials, representatives of Abohar sub-divisional magistrate and the concerned local station house officer (SHO) to ensure that the cotton procurement is done as per the rules.” A CCI official, on condition of anonymity, said the agency is not purchasing bulk cotton as its quality is below the prescribed standards.
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