AP, Telangana wants CCI to relax procurement norms
The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments have requested that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) increase the moisture percentage level from the present level of 8-12 per cent, keeping in view the recent heavy rains and bail out the farmers.
While Telangana reports a cotton area of over 20 lakh hectares, Andhra Pradesh registered 4.56 lakh hectares. Additionally, the Telangana government requested that the CCI increase the yield limit to 11.5 quintals per acre, up from the current level of 7 quintals per acre.
The CCI, however, wants the Telangana government to release district-wise yields so that it can make an informed decision accordingly. “All other States do that. We have asked the (Telangana) government to submit a list, providing us with a district-wise breakup,” L K Gupta, Chairman of the CCI, told businessline.
The CCI appears to have set the yield limit at seven quintals for the State, an increase of 10 per cent over last year’s 6.3 quintals. The State government, however, is asking the CCI to double it.
“This would be significantly higher than the national average. As against the national average of 450 kg of lint per hectare, Telangana’s average would be around 1,000 kg lint per hectare,” he explained.
Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao reportedly spoke with the CCI Chairman and requested that he bring the issue to the attention of the Union Government and make changes to the procurement criteria.
“The Minister also flagged the challenges being faced by ginning mills. He requested the CCI to allow cotton purchases at all the notified ginning mills,” an executive said.
The Minister stated that the moisture levels in cotton exceed 12 per cent due to untimely rains. “They toiled over the last few months. We should not deny them a good price. They are not able to get a good price in the market,” he said.
The Minister also wrote letters to G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, the two BJP leaders who represent the State in the Union Cabinet, to use their good offices.
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Acchannaidu wrote a letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, seeking his intervention to ease the procurement norms. “The cotton farmers are being forced to sell the produce below the MSP. Keeping in view the prevailing weather conditions, they should be allowed to sell the cotton with up to 18 per cent moisture,” he said.
The Telangana Rythu Sangham too demanded that the CCI ease the norms and procure cotton from farmers.
Published on November 7, 2025
