Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramachander Rao on Wednesday stated that the Centre would continue procuring cotton in the state at Minimum Support Price (MSP) until March next year. He was countering what he called a “misinformation campaign” by the Congress.
He said the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) would procure the entire yield and assured farmers there were no new restrictions in place. “Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy has already intervened with CCI and state officials to address operational hurdles,” Rao said.
At a press conference held at the state BJP office, Rao accused the Congress and BRS of spreading falsehoods about the procurement process. He criticised the Congress government for suspending the Rythu Bandhu scheme and failing to implement loan waivers. This, he said, had deepened the agrarian crisis.
Rao highlighted that the number of cotton procurement centres in Telangana had risen from under 80 to over 200 under the Modi government. He added that the Centre was ready to open 100 more if the state proposed new ginning mills.
He questioned the state government’s cotton yield estimate of 12 quintals per acre, calling it unusually high. This figure was compared to last year’s 6.32 quintals and national averages. Rao said the Centre had sought clarification on this figure.
To streamline procurement and reduce middlemen, the BJP leader said the government had launched the “Kapas Kisan App.” This app allots time slots to farmers and ensures direct bank payments. He urged farmers to use government centres for selling their produce.
Representatives from BJP Kisan Morcha, Minority Morcha, and the party’s media cell attended the press meet.