Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has urged the Centre to increase the allowable cotton moisture limit to 20% in Telangana, enabling farmers to benefit from the Minimum Support Price (MSP) despite weather-driven conditions.
Minister writes to Centre, cites farmer distress over MSP
In a letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, Tummala stated that current CCI norms allow procurement only for cotton with 8% to 12% moisture content. However, due to seasonal weather in October and November, actual moisture levels in kapas (seed cotton) often range from 12% to 20%.
The Minister said this gap is making it difficult for farmers to sell their cotton at MSP. Telangana farmers have appealed for relief, prompting the state to seek central intervention. “Allowing up to 20% moisture in procurement will directly benefit our farmers,” he wrote.
Telangana currently has 45.32 lakh acres under cotton cultivation, with an estimated output of 28.29 lakh metric tonnes (LMTs), Tummala added.
Telangana seeks expanded crop support under PSS
Later, during a video conference with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Tummala pressed for immediate approval to procure more crops under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). He requested permission to purchase 100% of Black gram and Millet and 50% of Soybean under MSP in the state.
He also reiterated the state’s long-standing demand to include maize and sorghum under the PSS to ensure broader price support for Telangana farmers.