No CCI centre, farmers sell cotton below MSP in Mahendragarh

Tribune News Service
Mahendragarh, October 12

Cotton growers are compelled to sell their produce to private players below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) as the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) does not have a purchase centre in the district.

Cotton, which is sown over 18,500 hectares in the district every year, is fetching not more than Rs 5,000 per quintal. The MSP, however, is Rs 5,515 per quintal for medium staple and Rs 5,825 for long staple.

There are two CCI centres in neighbouring districts of Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri, but hefty transportation cost discourages farmers to take their produce there. So, they end up selling to private players below the MSP.

Vijay Pal, a farmer from Saloni village, said he and others sold the produce to traders of Tigra village for Rs 5,000 per quintal three days ago. A month ago, he had sold his produce for Rs 4,200. “Farmers are demanding a CCI centre in Mahendragarh district, but the authorities are not paying heed,” he said.

Joginder of Chapra Salimpur village sold his cotton for Rs 5,000 per quintal recently. Jaswinder Singh, Deputy Director (Agriculture), said he had written to the Director General, Agriculture and Farmers Department, urging him to open a CCI centre in the district.