No Slot Bookings at 19 CCI Cotton Procurement Centers in Yavatmal; Open Market Prices Reach Up to ₹9,200
Yavatmal: In the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, 19 Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) procurement centers are ready, yet not a single slot has been booked at any of them. The primary reason for this is that private traders in the open market are offering prices ranging from ₹9,000 to ₹9,200 per quintal. Additionally, farmers are facing difficulties in booking slots due to technical issues related to the 'e-crop survey' and 'Satbara' (land record) documentation.
For the 2026-27 Kharif season, the central government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for cotton by ₹557 per quintal compared to the previous year. Under this, the MSP has been set at ₹8,667 per quintal for long-staple cotton and ₹8,267 per quintal for medium-staple cotton. Since open market prices are higher than these rates, farmers prefer selling their cotton to private traders rather than through government procurement centers.
Expectations of Rising Prices Due to Anticipated Lower Yield
In the district, cotton picking gained momentum around the time of Dussehra. In many areas, the bulk of the harvest has already been collected within the first two rounds of picking. Given the potential decline in total production, farmers expect prices to rise further in the coming days. Consequently, some farmers are choosing to store their cotton at home, while those with immediate financial needs are selling their produce to private traders.
Technical Hurdles in E-Crop Surveys and Land Records
To sell cotton at CCI centers, farmers are required to register and book an online slot. This process is managed through the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC). However, while many farmers have completed their 'e-crop survey' (e-peek pahani) on time, in some instances, the details regarding the cotton crop have not been updated in their 'Satbara' land records. As a result, crop details are not appearing on the online portal, and slot bookings are not being accepted.
Potential for increased difficulties if market prices fall
Currently, since open-market prices are higher than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), farmers have the option to sell their cotton to private traders. However, if market prices decline in the coming days while issues related to land records persist, farmers may be unable to sell their produce at CCI (Cotton Corporation of India) procurement centers. Therefore, the relevant departments should promptly rectify errors in the 'Satbara' (land record) documents to ensure the slot-booking process functions smoothly.
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