Increase cotton moisture upper limit to 20%: Telangana appeals to Centre
Telangana grew cotton in 18.59 lakh hectares, with an estimated production of 28.29 lakh tonnes.
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REUTERS/AMIT DAVE
The Telangana Government has appealed to the Union Government to consider raising the upper limit for cotton moisture levels to 20 per cent from the current 12 per cent.
Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao wrote a letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, requesting an extension of the limit in light of the prevailing weather conditions in the State in October and November.
“The moisture content in kapas (seed cotton) generally ranges between 12 per cent and 20 per cent due to the prevailing weather conditions in the State. But the Cotton Corporation of India procures cotton with a moisture content of 8 per cent to 12 per cent, as per existing norms,” he pointed out.
The farmers contend that this restriction is causing hardship in getting the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. “In this backdrop, we request you to consider extending the upper limit up to 20 per cent,” he said in the letter.
The MSP for cotton is fixed at ₹8,110 per quintal, which is ₹589 more than the previous year’s MSP.
“While a marginal decline in overall cotton production is anticipated this year, current market trends indicate a downward movement in global cotton prices,” he said.
This would mean that the CII would step in to procure the produce at the MSP during the current marketing season.
Telangana grew cotton in 18.59 lakh hectares, with an estimated production of 28.29 lakh tonnes.
Outlook
Global cotton production is expected to drop by 1.5 million bales to 117.7 million bales, as China, India, and the US are expected to produce less. At the same time, Brazil is likely to produce more.
The area under cotton cultivation in the country this kharif stands at about 109.90 lakh ha, down from 112.30 lakh ha last year.
Maharashtra leads in cotton acreage with 38.42 lakh hectares, followed by Gujarat (20.81 lakh ha), Telangana (18.59 lakh ha), Rajasthan (6.28 lakh ha), and Andhra Pradesh (4.13 lakh ha).
Published on October 27, 2025
