E-Crop system introduced to help cotton farmers secure MSP in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: The government has introduced e-crop system to help the cotton farmers secure minimum support price. Under the system, the details of farmers will be posted online as per the guidelines released by the government. In the e-crop system, farmers names, Aadhaar number, bank account, survey number of the land, extent of the land in which cotton is cultivating will be uploaded on Agriculture and Revenue Departments web portals by November 25.

Purchase of produce will start from the first week of December. With an aim to provide minimum support price(MSP) to the farmers directly and also to prevent role of middlemen, the e-crop system has been introduced by the officials.

In this backdrop, District Joint Collector K Srinivasulu conducted an awareness meeting with officials concerned recently to register details under e-crop mode. Every year cotton corporation of India (CCI) is procuring cotton from farmers by setting up purchasing centres with the assistance of the State government.

As many as 43 centres will be set up in the State and in Srikakulam district one centre at Rajam will be established.As per Agriculture Department estimation, total cotton crop area in Srikakulam during current season is 5,708 hectares.

This year minimum support price (MSP) per quintal has been fixed by the CCI at Rs 5,550. "We are going to explain in villages where cotton is being cultivated about MSP and e-crop mode through our staff," said Assistant Director for Marketing B Srinivasa Rao.