GoM meet fails to give any relief to farmers, ban on cotton export stays

New Delhi, 9 March, 2012

Group of Ministers meeting headed by Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee on cotton export ban couldn’t give any relief to farmers of cotton growing states.

The meeting was inconclusive, said Textile Secretary adding that the ban continues. He said that another meeting will be held on this issue, but till then the ban continues.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, Commerce minister and senior government officials.

However Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar told media persons that Commerce Ministry is contemplating to lift cotton export ban.

According to Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister, Anand Sharma , another meeting of the GoM could be held tomorrow to take further the discussions on the issue. Mr. Sharma has maintained that textile mills were carrying their lowest ever stocks in the past decade and the decision was taken on the advice of the Cotton Advisory Board.

Meanwhile the land of Saurashtra and north Gujarat today witnessed number of agitation progammes against cotton export ban.

In a meeting of ginners a decision was taken that all ginning mills will go on indefinite strike from Saturday, until the ban on cotton export is lifted.

In another development the farmers in Vidarbha in Maharashtra have threatened indefinite hunger strike protesting ban on cotton export.