Cotton farmers call for urgent focus on yield-related issues

Cotton farmers In Telangana are struggling to get the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹8,110 a quintal as unseasonal and heavy rains have affected the quality of cotton. Jaipal, a cotton grower, said the farmers get just ₹7,800 for a quintal in the market.

“The farmers are getting just about five quintals [one quintal amounts to 100 kg] an acre, where they should have got 8-12 quintals. That is the reason we are incurring losses,” says Jaipal.

The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has purchased more than 45 lakh bales of cotton this year, since October 1, from the farmers at MSP.

While the farmers who meet the norms of the CCI get the MSP, there are many who are unable to meet the quality standards and also the other norms that the agency prescribes. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, CCI procurement from cotton farmers is nil.

“The daily arrivals are approximately 2.5 lakh bales. Last year, the CCI purchased about 38 lakh bales of cotton at MSP during the first 2.5 months of the season. This year, it has crossed 45 lakh bales. We expect to buy close to 125 lakh bales this cotton marketing season,” said Lalit Kumar Gupta, the Chairman and Managing Director of CCI.

Union Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Friday that there were over six million cotton farmers and to ensure remunerative prices to farmers, the MSP for the 2025-26 cotton marketing season was fixed at ₹7,710 per quintal for medium staple cotton and ₹8,110 per quintal for long staple cotton, providing a minimum 50% return over the cost of production.

The CCI has operationalised 570 procurement centres across 11 States and has sourced cotton worth ₹13,492 crore through transparent e-auction mechanisms to prevent distress sale by farmers, he said.

The CCI purchased 100 lakh bales of cotton at MSP during the 2024-2025 cotton season. While the quality of cotton that arrived in the market in October and November was poor because of unseasonal rains in the cotton growing regions, the quality had improved now, Mr. Gupta said.

According to the textile industry and cotton traders, quality is an issue this year because of the rains.While the textile industry is demanding removal of import duty on cotton, it is also urging the government to address the issues related to cotton yield and seed quality.

Indian MSP for cotton is at least 10 % more than the international prices. But, area under cotton in 2025-2026 is 3.5 % less than last season and the crop size is 1.7 % lesser. The average yield is 448 kg per hectare which is one of the lowest globally, say sources. At least 20 countries are having higher yield. For yield to improve, seed technology and agronomy research need urgent focus so that cotton productivity increases and cotton growers get better earnings, say stakeholders in the cotton sector.