CCI to set up 23 cotton purchase centres in Warangal

The government is offering a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 7,020 per quintal for long staple cotton and Rs 6,620 for medium staple cotton

Warangal: The officials of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) are gearing up to set up 23 cotton purchase centres in the district, and the operations are slated to commence in the first week of November. These centres are located within cotton ginning mills and market yards including the Enumamula agriculture market yard.

The government is offering a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.7,020 per quintal for long staple cotton and Rs.6,620 for medium staple cotton. To ensure quality standards, the farmers were asked to ensure that the humidity of the cotton should not exceed 8 per cent.

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The Marketing Department has proposed the establishment of 23 cotton buying centres within the district. Of these, 18 will be located in the Warangal Enumamula agricultural market, while two will be situated in the Nekkonda and Wardhannapet agricultural markets. Additionally, one centre will be established in the Narsampet market. The government has given its approval for the operation of centres on the premises of cotton ginning mills.

To ensure the comfort and convenience of farmers, ginning mill owners have been advised to offer basic amenities such as tents, chairs, and drinking water at every cotton buying center. Furthermore, information boards will be set up to inform farmers about support prices and moisture content.

A significant change this season is the implementation of a new payment system for farmers who sell their cotton at these purchase centers. Farmers are advised to link their bank accounts with their Aadhaar card, as purchases will only be made from those who have successfully linked their accounts. The CCI will directly deposit the funds through the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (ABPS) and the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) into the bank accounts connected to the Aadhaar card.

With all preparations in place, cotton purchases will commence from the first week of November. In addition, the introduction of help desks at these purchase centres aims to provide support to farmers navigating the new payment system. It is crucial for farmers to link their bank accounts with Aadhaar and carry their Aadhaar cards when visiting the centres to ensure a smooth transaction process.

Prasada Rao, the District Officer of the Marketing Department in Warangal, emphasized the importance of adhering to quality standards to receive the government’s support price at these purchase centres. It is said that the cotton was cultivated in 1.22 lakh acres and the expected yield is 7.34 lakh quintals. Meanwhile, the cotton fetched a maximum of Rs 7005 per quintal on Monday at the Enumamula agriculture market yard where the traders purchased the cotton. Farmers hope that they will get at least the MSP once the CCI centres are operational.