Telangana farmers protest below MSP cotton prices in Khammam

Cotton farmers in Khammam, Telangana, are concerned about traders buying cotton below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) set by the central government. In the local agriculture market yard, farmers allege the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is offering lower than expected prices, with some traders purchasing cotton for Rs 6,400 per quintal, even though the government’s MSP is Rs 7,521.

K Nageswara Rao, a farmer from Julurpad, says the highest price paid was Rs 6,850 per quintal, and only a few farmers got that rate. Another farmer, N Ganesh from Pallipadu, expressed disappointment, saying they had hoped for prices between Rs 8,000 and Rs 11,000 per quintal. They also accused traders of manually determining moisture content, instead of using machines, and claimed that a syndicate had been formed to control prices. Despite district collector Muzamil Khan visiting the market and warning traders, the situation remains unchanged.

K Praveen Kumar Reddy, Secretary of the Khammam cotton market yard, confirmed that notices had been issued to traders and that further action would be taken based on their response. Each day, about 45,000 cotton bags are delivered to the yard from the former Khammam district.