Protesting cotton growers want procurement at MSP

Bathinda, December 11

Farmers under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) today staged a protest at the office of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), Bathinda, demanding to start procurement of the crop at the minimum support price (MSP).

Shingara Singh Mann, secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), said as the CCI was not buying cotton, private traders were purchasing the crop at low rates.

Harjinder Singh Baggi, general secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), said due to anti-agricultural policies of the government, production of cotton crop had remained below normal.

Jagtar Singh of the BKU said the Centre had fixed a MSP of Rs 7,020 per quintal of the cotton crop, which does not even meet the expenses. He said the private traders were looting farmers by paying just Rs 4,000 per quintal.

The protesting farmers demanded implementation of C2 50% formula in MSP.

Vinod Kumar, Bathinda zone manager, CCI, assured the farm leaders that the government procurement would commence at Rama Mandi and Maur Mandi.