Maharashtra CM Seeks Extension of Cotton MSP Procurement Period
2026-02-19 18:57:31
Cotton Procurement: Maharashtra CM Urges Centre to Extend MSP Buying Period for Farmers
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged the Central Government to extend the procurement period for cotton under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme, citing concerns over potential losses to farmers across the state.
In a letter addressed to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, Fadnavis requested an extension of the procurement window being carried out by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the 2025–26 cotton season. Currently, CCI has set February 27, 2026, as the last date for MSP-based procurement. However, the Chief Minister noted that a significant quantity of farmers’ cotton still remains unsold in Maharashtra.
Risk of price crash in open market
The Chief Minister warned that if government procurement ends as scheduled, cotton prices in the open market could decline sharply. This would lead to substantial financial losses for farmers who are still holding their produce. He emphasized that extending procurement until April 30, 2026, would help stabilize prices and give farmers sufficient time to sell their crop at fair rates.
Demand for extended procurement till April
Fadnavis has requested the Union Ministry of Textiles to direct the Cotton Corporation of India to continue MSP procurement until the end of April 2026. He said this step is crucial to safeguard the interests of cotton growers in Maharashtra amid ongoing market uncertainty.
MSP rates for 2025–26 season
For the Kharif Marketing Season 2025–26, the Central Government has fixed MSP at ₹7,710 per quintal for medium staple cotton and ₹8,110 per quintal for long staple cotton.
Concerns over import policy impact
The Chief Minister also highlighted that policy decisions allowing duty-free cotton imports till December 31, 2025, had increased pressure on domestic prices. He noted that increased inflow of foreign cotton, combined with tariff relaxations, has adversely impacted local farmers despite MSP support.
Fadnavis stressed that while MSP procurement provides some relief, failing to extend the buying period could once again force farmers to sell their produce at lower market prices, deepening their financial stress.
