Question : Purchase of Cotton from Farmers

(a) whether the Government proposes to open centres through Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to purchase cotton from the farmers as it has done for the Tur, Harbhara and other pulses through NAFED & SFAC as the Private Ginning & Pressing units are harassing farmers for payment, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(b) whether the Government has any proposal for the Farmers Producers Organisation to open centres to act as a intermediaries for NAFED & SFAC and ultimately for CCI to ensure Minimum Support Price and earlier realisation of cotton payment, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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MINISTER OF TEXTILES
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a): To safeguard the interest of cotton farmers and to give them remunerative price of their produce, Government has nominated Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), as a Central Nodal Agency to undertake Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations of seed cotton (kapas) in all cotton growing States India whenever the prices touch the MSP rate. Every year, CCI opens adequate procurement centres in all the cotton growing States to cover maximum cotton arrivals. For the current cotton season 2019-20 (1st October 2019 to 30th September 2020), CCI has opened 439 procurement centres and is active in the market from day one of the cotton season to ensure remunerative prices to the cotton farmers.

(b): There is no such proposal. Government has taken following initiatives for earlier realization of cotton payment to the farmers:-

i) Initiated electronic generation of purchase bill/ takpatti against the cotton procured from farmers in APMCs to avoid delay in releasing the payments to the cotton farmers.
ii) Implemented 100% payment of kapas purchased under MSP to the cotton farmers directly in their bank account through online.
iii) Developed a farmer friendly mobile app, “Cott-Ally” to have direct interaction and outreach with the cotton farmers and to keep the cotton farmers informed about various information related to Minimum Support Price operations, tracking of payments status etc.

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