The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has planned to operate 343 procurement centres in 92 districts spread across 11 cotton growing states in the country, during the ongoing cotton season that began on October 1, 2014, Minister of State of Textiles (Independent Charge) Santosh Kumar Gangwar said in a written reply in Parliament.
The minister said the CCI has been advised to open additional cotton procurement centres in consultation with the state governments, as and when required as envisaged under the minimum support price (MSP) operation announced by the Government.
Among the procurement centres planned by the CCI, 66 centres are planned to be operated in 17 districts of Maharashtra, 60 centres in 19 districts of Gujarat, and 81 centres in 9 districts of Telangana.
CCI will operate 19 centres in 7 districts of Madhya Pradesh, 27 centres in 8 districts of Punjab, 15 centres in 4 districts of Haryana, 26 centres in 9 districts of Rajasthan, 27 centres in 6 districts of Andhra Pradesh, 15 centres in 9 districts of Karnataka, 6 centres in 3 districts of Orissa, and 1 centre in West Bengal. By the end of November, 2014, CCI has procured approximately 11,58,000 bales of cotton valuing around Rs 2,700 crore for market stabilisation and thereby alleviating farmers’ distress, Gangwar said.
During the current cotton season 2014-15, prices of cotton are currently ruling at below MSP in major cotton growing states. The prices of cotton in domestic market depend on a number of factors, including previous balance, current supply, current as well as future demand for cotton in both domestic and international markets.
At present, cotton prices in international markets are ruling lower than the prices that prevailed during the corresponding period last year, primarily due to lower demand by China and increased supply from the US.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, cotton has been planted on 12.6 million hectares this season, which is 7.7 per cent higher than the 11.7 million hectares planted in previous season. As a result, cotton output is likely to remain above 400 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) in the ongoing season. (RKS)
