Thoothukudi
Cotton farmers in parts of the district are worried about the declining market price. During the last season, one quintal of cotton fetched price ranging between ₹ 5,000 and ₹ 5,500. But, in the current season, a quintal of cotton had a price from ₹ 3,700 to ₹ 4,200.
Crops were sown in October anticipating rainfall in parts of Ottapidaram, Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Vilathikulam, Pudur and Ettayapuram blocks, A. Varadharajan, a farmer from Ayan Vadamalapuram, Ettayapuram Block, said here on Tuesday.
He said high yield of this crop triggered a decline in the market. The yield started in the middle of February. Unlike the last season, when the cash crop yielded about three to four quintals per acre, seven quintals per acre had been witnessed this season.
Most of the farmers cultivated this crop after sowing 'Bt cotton' variety, which resulted in high yield of this crop. Moreover, he said consistent spells of rain during the northeast monsoon season was also one of the reasons for the growing yield.
Mr. Varadharajan said that the government should modernise the old cotton ginning factories existing under cooperative marketing societies in Pudur, Kovilpatti and Ettayapuram.
The output from the old factories was not good enough when the produce was given for processing. Hence, he demanded the State government to allocate adequate funds in the upcoming budget to modernise these old factories with the latest technology.
K.P. Perumal, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, said the Cotton Corporation of India had fixed minimum support price for the produce in the interest of farmers.
If the produce was procured at price below the fixation of minimum support price, officials from Agriculture Department should ensure that action was taken against those concerned.
