Hyderabad: Telangana’s cotton procurement deadlock ended on Monday after Agriculture and Marketing Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao stepped in and held talks with key stakeholders.
The Minister met officials from the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), ginning millers, and the agriculture department. He addressed disputes over tender terms, including lint percentage and slot booking rules. He directed all parties to join the tender process and begin procurement without delay.
Cotton procurement deadlock resolved after talks with stakeholders
Tummala recommended weekly reviews of the revised terms and called for third-party checks to ensure transparency. He also assured farmers that the government would safeguard their interests throughout the process.
CCI and the ginning mills agreed to the proposal. They confirmed they would complete tender procedures and start collecting cotton from farmers next week.
To support this, Tummala instructed officials to run a state-wide awareness campaign. He asked for strong publicity of the mobile and slot booking apps, along with the toll-free helpline.
CCI CMD Lalit Kumar Gupta, Agriculture Director Gopi, Director (Fiber) Purnesh Gurunani, and representatives from the State Cotton Ginning Mills Association attended the meeting.
