Ryots store cotton in houses as prices fluctuate at Enumamula agri market

WARANGAL: With cotton prices refusing to stay stable, a number of farmers are storing their harvest in the hope that the prices will increase eventually. As a result, the quantity of cotton arriving at the Enumamula Agricultural Market has also reduced considerably. 

While a sizeable number of ryots from the areas bordering the erstwhile Warangal district are coming to Enumamula market they are not selling their produce after seeing the prices. 

According to data available with TNIE, the average cotton price hovered around Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 per quintal last year, while the highest this year — Rs 7.680 per quintal — was recorded on Monday. Similarly, farmers sold 2,71,260 quintals of cotton between October 2022 to February this year compared to 5,88,375 quintals during the same period the year before.

S Srinivas, a farmer from Station Ghanpur mandal of Jangaon district, brought 30 bags of cotton to sell at the market. “I was taken aback by the prices on offer by the traders There is no other option left for me but to return without selling the crop in the market,” he added.

Enumamula Agriculture Market secretary BV Rahul confirmed that the quantity of cotton arriving at the market had dropped considerably. With the drop in prices, farmers also started storing the cotton crop in their houses, he remarked.

Storing cotton leading to health issues
Many farmers, who have stored cotton in their houses, are now complaining that they and their family members are now falling ill frequently and having dermatological (skin) and respiratory issues.

Manuka Raju Kumar, a farmer from Peddapendyal village of Hanamkonda district, said he cultivated cotton on 3 acres of his land with an investment of Rs 1.5 lakh. 

“If we sell crops at the prices offered, we won’t even be able to recover our investment amount. Now, we are forced to stock the crop in our houses. Many insects are constantly damaging the crop. It is leading to skin issues and many people have symptoms of itching, allergy and respiratory problems,” said Kumar.