Not getting remunerative prices, farmers burn cotton crop in Mansa
Farmers have been getting low prices due to high moisture content in cotton. It is due to recent spell of rain in the district. KRISHAN LAL, commission agent
Annoyed over receiving low remuneration for cotton, 400 farmers of the district, on Saturday, set alight 20 kg cotton in protest near district complexes. The farmers, who received between Rs 4500-4700 per quintal, demanded that cotton be purchased at the MSP fixed at Rs 5450 per quintal.
As per farmers, cotton procurement is yet to begin by Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) in the cotton growing regions of Malwa. Farmers of the district alleged that commissioning agents deceived farmers by purchasing good quality cotton at low prices in the absence of CCI in Mandis.
Farmer Ram Singh said, “Since September, no government employees have been seen purchasing cotton at prices fixed by the Centre in the grain market. Due to this, private commission agents deceived farmers and purchased the crop at a rate they desired, between Rs4500-4700 per quintal, even for the best quality cotton.”
He said, “Eventually the farmer has nothing in hand after spending on seeds, pesticides and cotton plucking labour who charge Rs 750 per quintal.”
District mandi officer, Darshan Singh said, “About 89,515 quintal of the total cotton that has arrived in the district, CCI has purchased nothing.”
Some farmers accused the Centre government of failing to meet the Swaminathan standards for welfare of farmers regarding prices of the yield. Bhartiya Kisan Union member, Gurdarshan Singh, among the protestors at the site, said, “According to Swaminathan Panel report, after adding expenditure on cotton till procurement, we should get Rs 8200 per quintal of cotton.”
“Farmers have been getting low prices due to high moisture content in cotton due to showers in the district,” said Krishan Lal, a commission agent.|
A CCI official on a condition of anonymity also claimed that their employees have purchased cotton with 8% to 12% moisture. Farmers will get Rs 5450 for minimum 8% moisture and for 12% moisture, CCI will deduct about 4% of the price (Rs 5450), he added.