Cotton Growers in Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam Are in Crisis as Prices Drop Following Off-Season Rains
Local traders are offering only ₹40 to ₹46 per kg, compared to ₹80 to ₹110 per kg last year, according to farmers; unions are urging government intervention to assist them.
Cotton farmers in Nagapattinam are facing severe distress due to a significant drop in prices, exacerbated by recent untimely rains. Despite the minimum support price (MSP) being set at ₹66 per kg this year, local traders are buying cotton at only ₹40 to ₹46 per kg.
P. Balasubramanian, president of Alathur Panchayat in Tirumarugal block, where cotton is cultivated on 220 hectares, highlighted that low procurement prices have driven farmers into debt. "At least ₹50,000 is needed to cultivate cotton on one acre. Due to recent untimely rain, only 2 to 2.5 quintals of cotton are harvested per acre, compared to the usual 4 to 4.5 quintals. With private traders offering just ₹40 to ₹46 per kg, we cannot cover our costs, forcing us to take loans even for basic family needs," he said.
R. Kavya, a farmer from Tirumarugal, expressed similar concerns. "The current price is only ₹42 per kg. I cultivated cotton on around 2 acres this year, hoping to use the profit for my children's education and to remodel our house. But the price drop has left me in a hopeless situation. I even need financial assistance to shift to paddy in the coming season," she said.
S.R. Tamil Selvan from the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam called for government intervention. "Cotton farmers are severely affected, and the government has not stepped in. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) should procure directly from farmers to save them from middlemen who do not pay the MSP," he urged.
An official from the Agriculture Department confirmed the statewide trend of price drops, noting that last year, good quality cotton sold at ₹110 per kg and average quality at ₹80 per kg. "Cotton is cultivated on 2,700 hectares in Nagapattinam, and we've reported to the State government that crops on 1,300 hectares were lost due to untimely rain. Among those unaffected, the price drop has hurt farmers badly. The CCI can step in, but it has many norms, such as managing transportation costs for ginning, which must be borne by farmers. Farmers need to be united to persuade the CCI to help them, but most prefer local traders who purchase directly from the field despite the huge price differences," said a senior Agriculture Department official.
Sources in the Agriculture Marketing Department mentioned plans to open a regulated market for cotton in the district soon. "It is challenging to attract traders who will procure at higher prices," said an official.
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