Gandhinagar

Gujarat government has today taken a decision to give additional bonus to cotton growing farmers. Spokesperson and minister of Health Shri Nitinbhai Patel made an announcement in this regard.

Patel said the state government had formed a committee of four cabinet ministers Shri Nitin Patel, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Saurabh Patel and Babubhai Bokhiria to take steps for better market rate of cotton to farmers considering the 27.61 ha sowing area nad 85-90 lakh bales produce this year. The committee after in-depth discussions with market yard heads, office bearers of farmers’ organizations and representatives of Kisan Sangh handed over a report to Chief Minister.

According to a decision made after this process, all farmers who get Rs 810 per 20 kg at CCI(Cotton Corporation of India) purchase centers will be given additional Rs 110 per 20 kg from the budget of state government. It means cotton growing farmer will get Rs 920 per 20 kg or Rs 4600 per quintal.

Patel added that this additional assistance scheme will cover purchase made after 18 December 2015 at CCI centers. Farmers will need to produce bill of sale of cotton to CCI and certificate of market yard to get bonus assistance money from Krushi Bajar Board which shall be paid by cheque. This assistance will be in addition to Minimum Support Price(MSP) amount.

Patel said this decision will maintain the rates of cotton as per expectation and farmers.

Background:

Around a month back, the Central Government had announced the MSP for cotton crop at Rs 810 per 20 kg.Following the announcement, the market price for cotton, which hovered around Rs 900 per 20 kg had fallen significantly. This led to a lot of unrest among farmers, who started demanding financial package for themselves. The Gujarat BJP on Tuesday made a representation before Chief Minister Anandiben Patel to provide relief to cotton farmers of the state in one or the other way since they were not getting remunerative price for their crop, said an official release from the state BJP president RC Faldu. Faldu said, “For some time, the rates of cotton crop have been falling and farmers are not getting remunerative prices and the Gujarat BJP is worried about the same”. He further added that in their representation before the CM, the state government could not announce anything but now when elections were over, the cotton farmers should be given some relief.

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