MAYILADUTHURAI: Over 62,000 metric tonnes of cotton have been auctioned for Rs 39.81 crore in Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam during the months of June and July, which agricultural market committee officials said is more than double the quantity auctioned for the corresponding period last year. Cotton is auctioned every week in four regulated markets in Mayiladuthurai (Sembanarkoil, Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai and Kuthalam) and in Nagapattinam (Thirumarugal).
A total of 1,581 tonnes were auctioned at the Thirumarugal market and over 61,000 tonnes were auctioned at the four regulated markets in Mayiladuthurai. An official from the agricultural market committee said, "The auctioned quantity has doubled from last year, and we expect more to be auctioned due to a surplus in supply. The demand was less, though." The average auction price has also decreased from last year. From around Rs 90 per kilogram last year, the price for cotton stood at Rs 65 per kilo. Driving the increase in supply and decrease in demand was the acreage brought under cotton cultivation, which jumped from 5,200 hectares to 7,200 hectares over the last year in Mayiladuthurai. The farmers have been calling for the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to procure the cotton instead of having to rely on hidden auctions.
The CCI, however, has not agreed to procure in Mayiladuthurai, according to officials. Guru Gopiganesan, a farmer-representative from Kaviri Delta Paasanatharar Munnetra Sangam said, "We expect the union bank to increase the MSP of cotton considering the losses incurred due to decrease in demand. We request the state government to bring cotton under the kuruvai comprehensive scheme completely." "The auction prices still fetch Rs 4 higher than the minimum support price. The farmers may not have got the same price through CCI procurement due to their strict requirements," the official added.