Madhya Pradesh's Khargone farmers protest CCI's cotton rejections over quality issues

Khargone farmers staged a semi-clad protest at the Krishi Upaj Mandi, accusing the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) of unfairly rejecting their cotton as substandard. This demonstration followed a four-day pause in CCI’s procurement activities. Although purchases resumed, farmers blocked the mandi gates and voiced their grievances.

The protestors alleged that CCI favored traders while rejecting their produce and criticized the daily procurement limit of 250 vehicles. The situation required intervention by the Khargone SDM and police to restore calm.

Sharmila Ninama, Secretary of the mandi, reported the arrival of approximately 900 vehicles carrying cotton. Of these, CCI procured 280 vehicles, with the remaining handled by traders. She clarified that purchases adhere to strict quality parameters, with substandard cotton excluded from the support price.

Farmers urged authorities to increase procurement limits to accommodate larger volumes. A request has been sent to the district collector to press CCI for higher daily procurement capacity to alleviate the farmers' concerns. Efforts are ongoing to address the farmers’ demands and streamline the cotton procurement process.