Cotton prices drop in Malwa, Punjab, farmers blame private buyers: The Tribune India

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Sameer singh

Tribune press service

Bathinda, December 1

Cotton farmers today staged a protest in the Bathinda grain market, alleging that private actors had lowered the prices of mandis products, forcing them to sell the crop at a low price.

Threaten indefinite turmoil

Cotton farmers have already suffered losses from pest attacks and unwanted rains. If they are not provided at remunerative prices, we will soon start an indefinite stir. Gora Singh, leader of BKU Dakaunda

Cotton farmers in Mansa district have not even received PSM in some mandis. Producers alleged by citing poor quality, private actors were citing a low price (lower than MSP) for the product. This at a time when cotton in the Malwa region has hit a record price of Rs 9,400 per quintal this season. The untimely rainfall event coupled with the pink bollworm attack caused substantial crop damage in the region this season, affecting production.

Sandeep Singh, a farmer from Shergarh village in Bathinda district, said: “The premium cotton that I sold for Rs 8,500 per quintal just over a week ago is selling for no more than Rs 7,500 now. We will not accept low tariffs for premium cotton quality.

Jagdev Singh, another farmer from Jai Singhwala village, said: “Cotton was bought for 9,400 rupees per quintal some time ago, but now the prices have been deliberately lowered by private actors. They cited only Rs 7,490 as the highest price for the premium cotton that I brought. I refused to sell my products. If they don’t increase the price, I will take the product to another mandi and try to sell it there. “

In the district of Mansa, private actors have even bought cotton for as little as Rs 5,200 per quintal, which is well below the MSP of Rs 5,925 set for this year. Alleging the arbitrary approach of private actors, cotton producers organized demonstrations in some villages and brandished slogans.

A senior official from the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) said there had certainly been a drop in the prices of cotton purchased by private actors. He said the private players had unanimously formed a “pool” and decided that they would not offer a price higher than a fixed limit, even for the best quality cotton. Gora Singh Bhaini Bagha, a leader of BKU Dakaunda in Mansa district, said: “How is it possible that good quality cotton was selling for between Rs 8,500 and even Rs 9,400 per quintal a few days ago in hardly and now the prices have suddenly fallen? Cotton farmers have already suffered losses from pest attacks and unwanted rains. If they do not receive remunerative prices for their products, we will soon start an indefinite commotion. “

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