Maharashtra Seeks Relaxation in Cotton Procurement Norms

04-Nov-2025 09:10 PM

Nagpur. Farmers in the Vidarbha region, a major cotton-producing region of Maharashtra, a leading cotton-producing state in the country, are deeply concerned and distressed by crop damage caused by heavy rains and floods.

Farmers are facing difficulties even with the remaining crop, as it has a high moisture content, making it difficult for the government to procure it at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Leaders of farmers and farmers' organizations have urged the government agency, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), to relax quality requirements for cotton procurement.

It is noteworthy that the CCI currently purchases cotton from farmers with a moisture content of less than 12 percent. This is in accordance with central government guidelines.

However, the situation in Maharashtra is particularly dire. Due to continuous rainfall, moisture content in cotton in many districts of the state is between 12 and 20 percent, making it difficult for farmers to sell their cotton at the MSP.

The central government has set the minimum support price for cotton for the current marketing season, 2025-26, at ₹7,710 per quintal for medium-staple varieties and ₹8,110 per quintal for long-staple varieties.

However, cotton prices in wholesale markets are currently trading ₹300-560 per quintal below this level. Due to the lack of government procurement, farmers are forced to sell their produce in the open market at significantly lower prices.

According to available information, during the 2024-25 marketing season, the Cotton Corporation of India procured 144.55 lakh quintals of cotton, equivalent to 29.41 lakh bales of lint, worth ₹10,714 crore from 6.27 lakh farmers in Maharashtra under the Price Support Scheme.