metro india news  I hyderabad

This year’s unseasonal monsoon has devastated Telangana’s cotton farmers. Continuous rains have damaged paddy and other crops, but cotton cultivators are worst hit. Of the 45 lakh acres sown, many fields first faced dry spells that delayed germination and were later flooded, ruining yields. Prolonged wet conditions caused discoloration and sprouting inside unopened bolls, slashing both quantity and quality.

In normal years, cotton in black soil yields 80–90 bolls per plant, but this season it has fallen to 50–60, with poor fibre quality. Expected yields of 8–10 quintals per acre have dropped to four or five — far below recovery costs. Excess moisture has turned much of the fibre black. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is buying only cotton with 8–12% moisture, rejecting large volumes. In Vikarabad, out of 15 truckloads taken to ginning mills, only two were accepted, each trip costing Rs 6,000 in transport.

CCI’s limited procurement — seven quintals per acre — and delayed centre openings have driven farmers to private traders offering just Rs 6,000–6,500 per quintal against the MSP of Rs 8,100. Ginning mills and traders allegedly collude to push distress sales. Technical glitches in the Kapas Kisan app and labour shortages further delay unloading.

The state has urged the Centre to allow purchases with up to 20% moisture. Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has sought urgent relief. Farmer leaders Bhukya Chandu Naik and Kondal Reddy demanded a Rs 475 bonus per quintal, more CCI centres, and compensation for affected cultivators. Without swift action, Telangana’s “white gold” may lose its shine.