Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday, urged Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to revoke the ban on cotton exports and direct the Cotton Corporation of India to procure cotton immediately, to provide relief to cotton farmers in AP.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, the TDP president said that the "abrupt decision to ban exports had come as a major blow to the farmers of state", who, he pointed out, were already reeling under the loss of about Rs. 9,000 crore after a loss of crop due to the drought.
He said that farmers have already suffered due to a steep fall in prices of cotton from Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 3,000 per bale. The crop is being raised in 33 lakh hectares now, and farmers are reeling under heavy debts, he said.
Naidu said that the ban has forced farmers to sell their produce at distress prices as the market was already down and there were no takers for the produce in the market yards. (INN)