MSP will not reduce, let farmers earn – Shri Vaghela
26 Nov '08
1 min read
Shri Shankarsinh Vaghela
The two day strike by ginners went in vain, when Union Textile Minister Shri Shankarsinh Vaghela today refused to reduce Minimum Support Price (MSP) of cotton.
While talking to the press people at Ahmedabad, the Minister said, “Ginners reaped the rich benefits of higher cotton prices last year. Now let the farmers earn higher returns this year. Market prices of cotton were 45 percent higher than the cotton MSP last year and this years' hike was aimed at leveling cotton MSP against market prices”
Shri Vaghela further informed that Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is procuring 0.15 million bales of cotton everyday from farmers. Nearly 50 percent of total arrival in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and almost 85 to 90 percent of total kapas influx in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra is purchased by CCI.
The Corporation has opened 280 centers across the country, till date and would launch more if required.
The Minister stressed that up till now farmers earned around Rs21 billion and Government would continue purchasing cotton from them. He suggested that farmers should not to sell their produce below MSP.