TNN | Jun 17, 2023,
Trichy: Cotton farmers in Tiruvarur district have expressed concern over their inability to get even the price fixed by the government for their crops at the market. While reeling under the damage caused by unseasonal rain last month, the fall in the price would threaten their livelihood, said farmers.
P S Masilamani, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated with the CPI, said as the cotton crop gives good yields and fetches a decent price in the market, the number of farmers cultivating the crop has been increasing for the past few years in the district.
“The cotton farmers got 100 to 120 per kg for their crops in 2021 and 2022. So, many farmers, including nonlandowners, cultivated cotton crop this year.” “However, the unseasonal rain that lashed during the last week of May in the district inundated the fields and damaged the cotton crops, affecting the yield. Even for the crops that farmers could salvage, private traders are offering only 50 to 60 per kg,” he said.
The average price of cotton per quintal last week was 6,322 compared to the minimum support price of 7,020 fixed by the Union government. Last year, farmers got 9,500 per quintal compared to the MSP of 6,620, Masilamani added.
He alleged private traders have formed a syndicate and demanding very low prices for cotton. “The state government should ensure that the officials from the Indian Cotton Corporation monitor the market and break traders’ syndicate. (Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com)