Andhra Pradesh - Khammam   

Protests mar cotton purchases

Photo:G. N. Rao

The Khammam market is a beehive of activity with the cotton purchases beginning on Thursday. —

KHAMMAM: Cotton purchases began on a stormy note in Khamam market on Thursday. The CCI, which opened it purchase centres, could buy some 126 bags from the farmers, who were in possession of the coupons issued in their respective mandals. The actual arrivals in the market were in the order of some 15,000 bags, and a majority of the farmers had no coupons and they had no other go but to sell to private traders. Traders offered Rs. 2,900 per quintal as against Rs. 2,985 by the CCI in the day.

Annoyed by their tactics, the farmers staged a protest in the market yard, brining the trade to a halt. They squatted in front of the main gate.

They gheraoed the Assistant Director of marketing and the Market Committee secretary demanding a fair deal from the traders.

The traders, however, enhanced the rate by Rs. 5 per quintal following the intervention of the marketing officials.

The administration wanted the CCI to open at least seven purchase centres. The CCI was however very cautious this year.

Cotton picking is gaining momentum in Khammam, Kothagudem and Bhadrachalam divisions.

Farmers raised cotton in an area of 1.23 lakh hectares in the district this year and the yield was expected to be in the order of 20 lakh quintals.

Backed by the political parties, the cotton farmers had been demanding a support price of Rs. 4,000 per quintal in view of the scarcity conditions that hit the crop initially and huge crop investments this year.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Protests mar cotton purchases

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu