Telangana government criticized over cotton procurement
08-Oct-2025 08:32 PM
Hyderabad. A deadlock persists between the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), a government agency, and the state's ginning millers over the resumption of cotton procurement from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in Telangana, the largest cotton-producing state in southern India.
Meanwhile, the Union Textiles Minister has criticized the Telangana government, accusing it of shirking its responsibility and politicizing the issue.
The Textiles Minister stated that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is ready to procure the entire cotton crop in Telangana, but the state government has failed to fulfill its role in ensuring smooth procurement, causing hardship to farmers there.
The agricultural sector falls under the jurisdiction of states. The central government, like other producing states, is ready and committed to purchasing every bale of cotton through the Cotton Corporation of India in Telangana, but the state government has become so stubborn that it refuses to act in the interests of farmers.
Why doesn't it ensure the supply of quality seeds to farmers and build the necessary infrastructure for effective cotton procurement? The Textiles Minister accused the Telangana government of misusing funds received under the Employment Guarantee Scheme and neglecting the cotton sector.
According to the Textiles Minister, approximately 2 million farmers cultivate cotton in Telangana on approximately 1.8 million hectares.
Approximately 80 percent of the cotton produced there is procured through the central agency, the Cotton Corporation of India.
Urging the state government to increase field-level support for cotton growers, the Textiles Minister stated that the central government has launched an online registration app to facilitate cotton sales.
Last year, 110 procurement centers were operational in Telangana, while this number has been increased to 122 during the current year. Government cotton procurement is scheduled to begin in the state soon.