Kartik Lokhande's blog

Staff Reporter After almost negligible procurement in past five years, Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation (MSCCGMF or Cotton Federation) procured a handsome 650 quintals of cotton on the very first day of procurement this time. Cotton Federation started procurement for the season 2014-15 on Saturday at 27 centres across the State. With the cotton prices at a five-year low in international market, and the Government not starting procurement centres, farmers were forced to sell cotton at a price below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in open market. For past few years, cotton-growers were getting good price in open market and it was more than the MSP declared by Central Government. They were happy. However, this time, with crashing of cotton prices, farmers had their only hope in procurement at MSP at Government centres. In Maharashtra, the Government started procurement through MSCCGMF from Saturday. Published in The Hitavada CityLine ...

19-04-14 Cotton Federation opposes the move and wants the Government to let it explore avenues other than cotton procurement to become financially viable again By Kartik Lokhande Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers’ Marketing Federation Limited (MSCCGMF or popularly known as Cotton Federation), which has been hitting the nadir in cotton procurement over the last few years, is facing a new challenge now. Maharashtra Government is considering the proposal to merge Cotton Federation with Maharashtra State Marketing Federation (Markfed). However, Cotton Federation has opposed the move and has requested the Government to let it explore other avenues of revenue generation than cotton procurement. Formed in the year 1984 to implement the Monopoly Cotton Procurement Scheme (MCPS), the Cotton Federation has been procuring cotton from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). According to the officials, cotton procurement at MSP has protected the farmers from selling...