Cotton farmers body battle to hike MSP

13 Sep '10

1 min read

A group representing cotton farmers, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), has raised a demand to hike the minimum support price (MSP) of cotton to Rs. 4,500 from the existing Rs. 3,000.

The Group is also firmly opposing the Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (Mahacot) recommendations to the Central Government asking it to hike the MSP of cotton to Rs. 3,500.

The objections were mainly on the grounds that when the spot market prices and future trading rates prevailed over Rs. 4,000, the MSP of Rs. 3,500 is not viable.

VJAS held the recommendation, furthered by NP Hirani, Chairman of the Federation to fix the MSP at Rs. 3,500 to be preposterous, as according to them, only the trading community would gain from this as they could procure cotton at lower prices from the farmers and reap advantage by exporting the same at higher prices.

They termed it as a conspiracy by cotton traders and firmly said that they won't let that happen. VJAS emphasized that only if the farmers get a MSP of Rs. 4,500, would it help them to prevail over the difficult situation that has aroused on account of heavy rains.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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