HYDERABAD: Telangana’s Agriculture Minister, Tummala Nageswara Rao, has issued a crucial appeal to cotton farmers who cultivated crops during the Kharif season. He urged them to prioritize bringing their harvested cotton to procurement centers with a moisture content not exceeding 12% to qualify for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹8,110 per quintal.
However, recognizing the challenges faced by farmers, the Minister simultaneously called upon the Central government to relax the stringent maximum moisture content standard. His plea is for the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to purchase cotton with a higher moisture level at the MSP. This flexibility is vital, especially since unseasonal rains have been persistent throughout the current harvesting and cotton picking period, making it difficult for farmers to meet the strict dry standards.
In a formal letter sent to Union Minister for Textiles, Giriraj Singh, Mr. Rao highlighted that Telangana’s 2025-26 cotton marketing season began earlier this month. He noted an anticipated slight decrease in overall cotton production and pointed out that global cotton prices are currently on a downward trend, adding to the farmers’ predicament.
Minister Nageswara Rao elaborated that approximately 45.32 lakh acres in the state are dedicated to cotton cultivation this year, with an estimated yield of 28.29 lakh tonnes. He emphasized that the cotton harvested during October and November typically has a moisture content between 12% and 20% because of the current wet and rainy weather. This contrasts sharply with the CCI’s current policy of procuring cotton only if its moisture content falls within the 8% to 12% range.
Farmers have voiced their concerns to the State government, explaining that the existing moisture content limit significantly hinders their ability to receive the MSP for their cotton. They have urgently requested an increase in this permissible moisture threshold. Responding to these concerns, Mr. Nageswara Rao formally urged Mr. Giriraj Singh to allow for cotton procurement with up to 20% moisture content, thereby guaranteeing fair prices for the farmers’ hard work.