Negligence Deepening Cotton Procurement Crisis: KTR

BRS working president K T Rama Rao today criticised both the Union and the State governments for the "reckless negligence" toward the severe cotton procurement crisis unfolding across Telangana.

Expressing anguish, KTR said that lakhs of cotton farmers who toiled throughout the year were unable to sell their produce, while both governments remained in deep slumber. He alleged that despite nearly 50 lakh acres under cotton cultivation this year, neither government had shown urgency or sensitivity toward the crisis, and accused both the BJP-led Union government and the Congress-led Telangana government of jointly failing the farming community, and demanded that the Centre immediately intervene to address farmer distress.

KTR also said that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had visited Delhi multiple times but had not raised the cotton issue meaningfully. MPs from both the Congress and the BJP too had failed to exert pressure on the Centre, he added.

"A government that should stand with the farmers is watching helplessly," KTR said.

The BRS working president also criticised the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for "refusing to procure" cotton on the grounds of moisture content, Kapas mobile app registration issues, and alleged corruption in ginning mills and their grading processes.

KTR said that due to these hurdles, farmers were not receiving even the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 8,110 per quintal, while the open market was offering only Rs 6,000 to 7,000, causing losses of nearly Rs 2,000 per quintal.

He claimed that the CCI had purchased only 1.12 lakh tons so far - alarmingly low compared to the season's projected 28.29 lakh tons - calling it clear evidence of a deepening procurement crisis.

KTR recalled that during previous crises, the then Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao personally intervened to secure relief for farmers, and demanded that the Telangana government immediately send a delegation to Delhi and launch an action plan to put pressure on the Union government.