Gadwal: Aggrieved over low prices, Cotton Seed farmers complain to Collector K Shashanka

Gadwal: With the cotton farmers aggrieved over the low prices offered to them on cotton seed by the cotton seed organisers in Gadwal, they approached District Collector K Shashanka on Wednesday and urged him to help them get better prices for their produce. They demanded their issue be resolved immediately and staged a protest in front of the Collectorate and blocked the roads.

Soon, the District Collector along with Superintendent of Police Apoorva Rao conducted a review meeting with the officials of cotton seed companies, the cotton seed organisers and the farmers at the Collector's office.

During the meeting, all three parties raised their concerns and urged the Collector's intervention to enhance the price of cotton seed. Speaking on the occasion, the members of Cotton Seed Farmers Association said that the seed organisers in the district were not paying them right price for their produce. "Even though the cotton seed companies were giving good price, the cotton seed organisers were acting like middlemen and paying very low prices to the cotton farmers. In view of the above, we have sought the intervention of the District Collector and urged him to help us provide better prices for the cotton seed," said the farmers.

It is said that the cotton seed organisers give some money to the farmers in advance as capital investment for the farmers to sow the cotton seed crop and after the harvest, they pay the remaining amount upon procuring the cotton seed. However, the farmers are alleging that the seed organisers were not only paying very less price, but at the same time, were giving remaining payment by deducting the interest rate for the amount they had given to the farmers in advance.

With this, the cotton seed farmers are facing losses as they are not getting the right price for the hard work, they alleged.

"In fact, the cotton seed companies give lump sum amount to cotton seed organisers to distribute the same to the farmers to sow cotton seed crop. However, the organisers just hold the amount with them for 6-7 months and not pay a single penny to the farmers. In fact, the farmers must get the payment on a monthly basis," said the aggrieving farmers.

After the meeting with the District Collector, the seed cotton organisers and cotton company representatives sought 15 days time to reply. However, the farmers demanded they must resolve the issue immediately and staged a protest in this regard.