Centre in support of TG’s cotton farmers: Kishan

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy stated that Telangana ranks third in cotton production in the country and has received significant support from the Modi-led central government.

On Wednesday, he highlighted that from the 2014-15 crop season to the 2024-25 crop season, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has procured cotton worth over Rs 58,000 crore at Minimum Support Prices (MSP), benefiting millions of farmers in the state. Notably, for the current 2024-25 crop season alone (as of March 17, 2025), he said the CCI has procured 210.19 lakh quintals of cotton valued at Rs 15,556 crore, providing direct benefits to nearly 9 lakh farmers in Telangana.

Each year, based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), the Central Government announces Minimum Support Prices for 22 agricultural commodities, including cotton. The MSP is set to be at least 50 per cent higher than the cost of production, and it is adjusted upwards in response to rising input costs. In cases where market prices fall below MSP levels, the Government of India intervenes through the CCI to procure cotton from farmers at the declared MSP. To ensure cotton farmers across Telangana benefit from the MSP, the Modi Government has established 110 cotton procurement centres across the state for the 2024-25 crop season.

Through these centres, the CCI has conducted large-scale procurement directly from farmers. The MSP for cotton, which was Rs 3,750 per quintal in 2014-15, has nearly doubled to Rs 7,121 per quintal by 2024-25. During the announcement, Union Minister Kishan Reddy said that when the open market prices for cotton declined, the Modi Government firmly supported farming families in Telangana by procuring cotton at MSP on a large scale.

He emphasised that the Government continuously provides support to farmers in every aspect of agriculture, including soil testing, seeds, fertilisers, farm equipment, crop loans, crop insurance, irrigation projects, and storage facilities, as well as MSP procurement. He reiterated the Modi Government’s commitment to doubling farmers’ income and its dedication to supporting the agriculture sector.