WARANGAL: A three-hour confusion arose over cotton prices at the Enumamula agriculture market, one of Asia’s largest, on Friday. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) set its price at Rs 7,550 per quintal for cotton with 12% moisture, while private traders offered Rs 7,000 per quintal for cotton with moisture level between 13% and 18%.
The price discrepancies prompted farmers to protest outside the market’s secretary office, demanding clarity and fair pricing. Representatives from the farmers’ association also arrived, inciting further unrest, delaying trading activities for several hours.
After intervention from Enumamula Agriculture Market Secretary P Nirmala, who provided clarity on the pricing, the farmers withdrew their protest.
Cotton farmers, who arrived at the market yard from different parts of the erstwhile Warangal district to sell their produce, said they are not getting Cotton Corporation of India Rs 7,550 per quintal and complained to the Selection Grade Secretary P Nirmala.
Many cotton farmers from the erstwhile Warangal district expressed frustration, stating they were not receiving the CCI price of Rs 7,550 per quintal, demanding fair price for their produce. Later, the police arrived on the scene and pacified the farmers.
In response to the farmers’ complaints, the secretary called on the traders, who stated: “CCI was not purchasing cotton with 13% to 18% moisture at the Rs 7,550 rate. Instead, we are paying Rs 7,000 per quintal for higher moisture content, resulting in losses due to weight reduction (10 kg per quintal) from the CCI’s moisture standards.”
Meanwhile, the farmers association representative deliberately disrupted the trading system in the market. With the intervention of Secretary Nirmala, as usual, the traders started purchases of cotton from the farmers.
Speaking to the media, Nirmala stated that disturbances caused by the farmers’ association representatives led to the delay in trading. She noted that they had entered the cotton yard without her knowledge and added that she would bring the issue to the district collector’s attention for further action.