Nagpur: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has written to Union textiles minister Giriraj Singh, urging extension of cotton procurement by Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) at minimum support price (MSP) to shield farmers from falling open market rates.Cotton prices have declined sharply, which traders attribute to the impact of the Indo-US trade deal. The agreement allows duty-free imports of extra-long staple cotton and is also expected to influence the American trade pact with Bangladesh in the textiles sector. These developments have reportedly put pressure on domestic cotton prices.The CCI, which is currently procuring cotton at an MSP of 8,110 per quintal, is scheduled to conclude its procurement operations on February 27. Trade sources say the impending closure of CCI operations, coupled with concerns over the US trade deal, has already affected open market prices in Vidarbha, where cotton is a primary crop. Market rates have fallen by more than 1,000 per quintal, touching lows of around 6,700.Fadnavis said a substantial quantity of cotton remains unsold. “If the CCI procurement ends as scheduled, market prices could drop further, causing significant financial losses to farmers,” wrote Fadnavis, requesting the minister that procurement be extended at least until April.A senior CCI official confirmed the MSP procurement deadline remains February 27, stating farmers had sufficient time to sell their produce. Approximately 98 lakh bales have been procured nationwide, around 2 lakh bales less than last year. Nearly 45 lakh farmers have sold cotton at CCI centres this season, said sources.This year, CCI introduced Kapas Kisan app to facilitate farmer registration for MSP sales. However, traders and farmers in Vidarbha claim about 25% of region’s cotton produce remains unsold. Many farmers still have standing crops, and even if they register via the app now, they may not be able to harvest and transport their produce to procurement centres before February 27 deadline.Sources noted CCI has extended deadlines in past, suggesting a similar move would not be unprecedented.
