The mandatory Girdawari (land survey) requirement for registration to sell cotton at MSP has been achieved to date, but the result is not a single registration on the portal in 17 days.
Piles of cotton piled up on the bales at Hanumangarh Junction Mandi. | Hanumangarh: For the first time, the CCI has implemented online registration for cotton purchases at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The 'Kapas Kisan' app has been launched for this purpose on September 1st.
After the Girdawari (land survey) is 100% complete, the report will be certified and uploaded. Only then will farmers be able to obtain the Girdawari report from the Patwari or online. The complete Girdawari is unlikely to be completed before October 15th. Consequently, government cotton procurement will also be delayed. The Agricultural Marketing Department has written to the CCI requesting the removal of the Girdawari requirement at the time of registration. Despite this, the CCI has not issued any orders in this regard. The FCI also purchases wheat at the support price based on online registration, but a survey is not required during registration.
When farmers bring their produce to the market, the survey is conducted and the purchase is made.
However, the CCI has made it mandatory to upload the survey report at the time of registration. Consequently, registration will be delayed, and procurement will not begin on time. This will result in significant losses for farmers. This year, cotton has been sown on approximately 180,000 hectares in the district. The sown area is approximately 61,000 hectares more than last year. The crop is in good condition so far. Consequently, production is expected to be good. Cotton will arrive in the markets in October.
If procurement at the support price does not begin on time, farmers will face difficulties. This time, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) will procure at nine centers in the district. The CCI has written to the secretaries of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees of Hanumangarh Town, Junction, Goluwala, Pilibanga, Rawatsar, Bhadra, Nohar, Tibbi, and Sangaria, urging them to educate farmers about registering. However, due to the mandatory uploading of a Girdawari report, farmers are unable to register. CCI officials claim that online registration has been initiated for the convenience of farmers. After registration, farmers will be able to bring their produce to the market according to their slots. The Girdawari requirement is to harass farmers. The government does not want to purchase agricultural commodities at the support price. The government makes new rules every day, but does not consider the interests of farmers. Therefore, various obstacles are imposed. First, online registration was made mandatory for purchasing cotton. Now, Girdawari is being imposed. Farmers will not tolerate this.
Surendra Sharma, farmer leader, Hanumangarh Deputy Director, said, "A letter has been written to the General Manager to remove the requirement of Girdawari (land survey) during registration. Girdawari is mandatory during registration on the Cotton App. Due to this, not a single registration has been made. A letter has been written to the General Manager of CCI to remove the requirement of Girdawari during registration." DL Kalwa, Deputy Director, Agricultural Marketing Department, Hanumangarh. The Central Government has increased the MSP of cotton by Rs. 589 per quintal, benefiting farmers. This time, the Central Government has increased the MSP of cotton by Rs. 589 per quintal. This time, the support price for medium-staple cotton has been set at Rs. 7710 per quintal, and the MSP for long-staple cotton has been set at Rs. 8110 per quintal. In recent years, Hanumangarh district has produced common staple cotton, between medium and long. When arrivals begin in the markets, the CCI determines the price by checking the length. Purchases are then made at that rate. Last year, the price of medium staple cotton was fixed at Rs 7121 per quintal and that of long staple at Rs 7521 per quintal. Due to low production last year, procurement could not be done at the support price.
Traders only purchased the produce through open auction. The average market price during the season was Rs 6500 to 7000 per quintal. Guidelines from higher level, Girdawari is necessary for registration. Cotton producing farmers can register online on the Kapas Kisan App to sell their produce. Girdawari is necessary at the time of registration. Registration and procurement guidelines for cotton procurement are decided at higher level. Kewalkrishna Sharma, Quality Inspector, CCI
