Question : COTTON PROCUREMENT CENTRES



(a) whether the Government proposes to open cotton procurement centres in the country; and

(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TEXTILES (SHRI E.V.K.S. ELANGOVAN)

(a) As a nodal agency of the Government of India to undertake MSP operations, as and when kapas prices touch the MSP level, Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. (CCI) opens procurement centres in various cotton growing States, depending upon the arrivals of kapas in the market yard and availability of other infrastructural facilities like ginning and pressing and warehousing etc. for processing and storage of cotton bales respectively. In order to help the cotton farmers located in remote areas, CCI also does operate satellite centres and arranges transportation of kapas to the processing points. This is being done every year.

(b) State-wise details of procurement centres operated by CCI during the current season vis-à-vis cotton season 2004-05 are as under:-

State	2005-06	2004-05
Punjab 16 14 Haryana 13 11 Rajasthan 26 23 Madhya Pradesh 17 17 Gujarat 57 47 Andhra Pradesh 62 71 Karnataka 21 19 Tamil Nadu 8 8 Orissa 7 7 Maharashtra 35 33 Total 262 250