Crisis hits cotton farmers in Adilabad

Cotton produce-laden tractors, vans and jeeps and other carriers have been forming a long queue on Nizamabad-Jagdalpur national highway near Chennur town for three days now

Adilabad: Cotton farmers, who were already reeling under a crisis due to a decline in prices, continue to wait for a long time to sell their produce at agriculture market yards and ginning mills across the erstwhile Adilabad district.

Cotton produce-laden tractors, vans and jeeps and other carriers have been forming a long queue on Nizamabad-Jagdalpur national highway near Chennur town for three days now. Farmers from not only this region, but other parts of erstwhile Adilabad district are left with no option but to wait for at least two days to dispose of their produce.

---

Cotton farmers staged a dharna at a ginning mill in Asifabad demanding the traders were not buying the produce on Tuesday night. They regretted that they were bearing additional charge for the vehicles hired for a day if they had to wait for extra time. They lamented that they were unable to make profits in growing the cotton.

Some of the growers who are in dire need of money are forced to sell the produce to private traders at lower prices, incurring losses. They alleged that the traders levy a tax of 1.5 percent on the value of the cotton for instantly paying the cost. They urged officials to take steps to prevent the fleecing by monitoring the trading. Farmers said that they were selling the produce containing 10 percent of moisture to the traders for Rs 6,500 as against the minimum support price of Rs 7,020 fixed by the Cotton Corporation of India.

They alleged that some traders were operating more centres than one authorised by the corporation by bribing officials. They accused the officials of not inspecting the ginning mills.

Adilabad Marketing department assistant director T Srinivas said that steps were being taken to speed up the procurement of the cotton in 25 centres across erstwhile Adilabad district. He stated that 18 lakh metric tonnes of the cotton was already purchased out of the expected yield of 24 lakh metric tonnes. The procurement process reached final stage, he added.The assistant director further said that stringent action would be taken against the traders who fleece the growers if brought to notice. He advised the farmers to local secretaries of the department to report grievances. He clarified that the traders were not permitted to impose any tax against the growers citing instant payment or any other reason.

The authorities of the marketing department said that the cost of the cotton produce would be directly credited to accounts of the farmers within four-five days if details of the bank account were correct.