SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal urges PM Modi's intervention for fair cotton procurement in Punjab
Chandigarh, December 10: Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in ensuring the fair procurement of cotton at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in Punjab. Badal expressed concern over complaints from farmers regarding the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) downgrading the MSP for cotton in Punjab and sporadic procurement practices.
In a statement, the SAD president highlighted the shocking deviation from the earlier MSP of Rs 6920 per quintal for long staple cotton. He revealed that the CCI had imposed a quality cut of Rs 150, providing an MSP of Rs 6770 per quintal to farmers.
Badal emphasized the adverse impact on farmers in the Abohar belt due to the CCI's inconsistent procurement practices. He noted that procurement had ceased on November 30, resumed on December 7 briefly, stopped again on December 9, and was anticipated to recommence on December 12.
The repeated interruptions in procurement, according to Sukhbir Badal, compelled farmers to resort to distress sales to private buyers, who were acquiring the produce at a significantly lower price range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 5200 per quintal. He pointed out that farmers faced challenges in transporting their produce over long distances and lacked the means to store it. Out of nearly 3.5 lakh quintals of cotton procured in the state, the CCI had only acquired one lakh quintals.
Sukhbir Badal urged the Prime Minister to issue directives for uninterrupted and smooth cotton procurement, appealing for farmers to receive the earlier MSP of Rs 6920. Additionally, he called for the settlement of arrears for those farmers who had sold their produce to the CCI at the reduced rate of Rs 6770.
- With inputs from agencies
