WARANGAL: As Telangana received above normal rainfall this monsoon, the hopes of the farmers to get a good yield and better profit have been completely shattered and the ryots are now trying their level best to get at least decent price for their produce. Just like most other Kharif crops, cotton crops too got soaked in the heavy rains.
Even though the harvest of the crop is yet to begin in many parts of Telangana, farmers from various parts of erstwhile Warangal, Nalgonda and Khammam districts have already started reaching the Enumamula Agriculture Market in Warangal with huge loads of cotton for sale.
However, the farmers are facing severe loss as they are not able to get the minimum support price (MSP). Though the MSP for cotton was fixed at Rs 5,111 per quintal by the authorities, the private traders are not ready to pay the price. What makes the situation worse is that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has not yet started the procurement to ensure the welfare of the farmers.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that even when the CCI set up procurement centres in the past, the authorities did not purchase the required quantity of produce from the ryots. When Express obtained the data on cotton procurement and sale during October 2018, it was found that around 1,55,546 quintal of the crop arrived in the market, however the CCI purchased only a meagre quantity of 13 quintals and the rest of the crop was purchased by private traders in the Enumamula market.
Meanwhile, till Tuesday, around 48,694 quintal of cotton has arrived in the Enumamula market and since the authorities have taken any measures to ensure the procurement, private traders are catching their business and purchasing cotton at a very low price. The ryots are currently left with no other option, but to sell their crops to the private traders.
The cotton farmers alleged that the private traders are deciding the price according to their like and also alleged that the State government have failed to ensure MSP for cotton. Rubbing salt into the wounds of the already distressed farmers whose crops got soaked in the heavy rains, the private traders are currently purchasing the crop at a rate between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,500 per quintal, where as last year the ryots managed to get between Rs 5,000 and Rs 5,500.
Speaking to Express, the secretary of the Enumamula market, A Somaiah said, "the quantity of cotton crop that has arrived in the market is so low compared to that arrived by last October. We do not have any right to direct the private traders to provide MSP to the farmers. The officials concerned have to take steps in this regard and help the ryots."
"We do take steps to inform the farmers about the correct price by displaying the price list on the notice boards, which both the farmers and the traders can check. However, since we do not have the authority to direct the traders, they are procuring the crops at the price decided among themselves. When inquired why they are only providing such meagre amount for the produce they procure, the traders claim that the cotton crops the farmers bring in have moisture content," he added.
Meanwhile, G Umesh Reddy, a farmer from Suryapet, said: "I brought 40 bags of cotton to the marker and the price I got for each quintal was Rs 3,200. The price offered by the private traders vary between Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,500. Only very few farmers receive price above Rs 4,500. The traders claim that our crops are of poor quality and have high moisture content and hence they can only provide low prices or else it will be a loss for them. We request the State government to intervene in this soon and ensure MSP for our crops."
However, a few farmers have also expressed hope that even though the monsoon rains ruined their Kharif cultivation, they will be able to get back on track during the Rabi season.