GUNTUR: The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) started procuring cotton from farmers at the purchase centre set up at NTR Mirchi Yard here on Tuesday. Mirchi Yard secretary N Srinivasa Rao said that 15 farmers who brought 250 quintals of cotton, have received MSP of `4,320 per quintal. Marketing department commissioner I Samuel Anand Kumar told farmers to sell their produce at the purchase centre to keep middlemen at bay.
The farmers are asked to furnish pattadar passbook, aadhaar card, ration card and bank account details.
The officials told the farmers to bring only five quintals of cotton per acre.As per the reports of Agriculture department, the farmers cultivated cotton crop in 1,82,799 acres of land in Guntur district. Hence, the government directed the Cotton Corporation of India officials to start 11 purchase centres in Guntur district and accordingly the officials started one centre in Guntur on Monday and the remaining centres will be set up soon.