Six CCI centres to procure cotton in Khammam

According to the district agriculture marketing officer MA Aleem, cotton crop was cultivated in about 1,85,000 lakh acres across the district and 1.40 lakh metric tonnes of produce was expected in Vanakalam season

Khammam: With cotton harvesting beginning in the district, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has proposed setting up six cotton procurement centres in Khammam district.

According to the district agriculture marketing officer MA Aleem, cotton crop was cultivated in about 1,85,000 lakh acres across the district and 1.40 lakh metric tonnes of produce was expected in Vanakalam season.

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It might be noted that the area under cotton crop in the district declined in this Vanakalam season due to irregular rainfall and increasing demand for chilli. Normal area under cotton cultivation in the district was 2,28,011 acres. In the previous year, cotton was sown in 2,20,202 acres.

It was expected that the cotton produce would arrive at the markets in the first week of October. CCI procurement centres would be set up at Khammam, Madhira, Nelakondapalli, Wyra, Enkoor and Maddulapalli agriculture market yards in the district, Aleem said.

The cotton marketing season action plan meeting was held to review the arrangements for cotton procurement. The minimum support price offered to cotton by the CCI was Rs 7020 per quintal. The cotton growers were told to carry out Aadhar authentication to sell the produce to CCI.

The farmers who sold cotton to CCI would be paid directly through Aadhar payments bridge system (ABPS) or Public financial management system (PFMS). The amount would be credited into the bank accounts linked with Aadhar. CCI would procure cotton with a moisture content of 8 to 12 percent only, Aleem noted.

It was said that the agriculture department officials have also planned to set up four more cotton procurement centres at ginning mills and the process of selection of the mills was underway.