Telangana ginning mills on Statewide strike from Monday

Over 300 ginning mills in Telangana have launched an indefinite strike against stringent Cotton Corporation of India norms, halting procurement operations. The standoff has worsened the cotton crisis, with farmers forced to sell at distress prices far below MSP.

Hyderabad: Over 300 ginning mills across the State are set to launch an indefinite strike starting Monday, halting all procurement operations in the market yards.

The move, triggered by what mill owners describe as unviable regulations imposed by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), threatens to add further to the already severe procurement crisis that is forcing farmers to sell at distress prices in open markets.

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The strike ultimatum is due to the CCI’s stringent guidelines, including L1 and L2 ginning norms, a moisture content cap of 12 percent, mandatory slot booking via the Kapas Kisan app and a rigid limit of seven quintals per acre for procurement.

Mill representatives argue these rules inflict heavy financial losses, rendering operations unsustainable amid erratic rains that have soaked harvests and delayed drying.

“We have written repeatedly to the Union Textiles Minister and CCI Managing Director, but received no response,” a mill association spokesperson said.

The mill owners have vowed to stall purchases until revisions are made. The standoff, meanwhile, has already hit the procurement process across the State. The CCI has procured a mere 1.18 lakh tonnes against an estimated production of 28.29 lakh tonnes, leaving farmers far from getting the MSP of Rs 8,110 per quintal with private traders offering just Rs 6,000-Rs 7,000.

Districts like Warangal, Karimnagar, erstwhile Adilabad and Nizamabad, which are considered cotton hubs, have piles of unsold produce rotting in yards, with allegations of corruption in grading and app glitches compounding the chaos.

Agriculture Department officials, who made efforts to avoid the strike, held talks with the association leaders but could not make any headway. The decision of the ginning mills to halt procurement at a time when moisture levels are finally dropping, is expected to worsen the situation for farmers.