First it was the weather, now it’s market forces that are taking a toll on farmers in Kanam, the state’s cotton-growing region. With few takers for their crop — this after a glut — and the State Government unwilling to intervene, farmers are wondering what they’ll do.
Jagdish Vyas, a cotton farmer, says even ginning mills in the neighbourhood have refused to buy this season. ‘‘Delayed monsoon, and then heavy rain led to three sowing operations, which increased production costs,’’ says a worried Vyas. The fact that farmers across the state are in the same situation is no solace to him.
The only solace seems to be Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) procurement centres, which have started operations in the state since the last four days.
It’s not just farmers, traders are also worried. ‘‘We have made repeated representations to the State Government to intervene as they had done earlier,’’ Kishore Shah, managing director, Central Gujarat Cotton Producers’ Co-operative, says.
Farmers and traders cite the case of neighbouring Maharashtra where the government has intervened.
Apart from escalating cultivation costs, experts say the glut is due to overall increase in cotton production not only in the state, but world over. Cotton Advisory Board figures released this month show that the overall cotton production has increased to 213 lakh bales this year from 177 lakh bales last year.
The overall acreage has also increased as farmers hoped for lucrative returns going by last year’s price.
But the monsoon playing truant and international market trends have meant tough times for cotton farmers — even the Shankar 6 variety of cotton cultivated in Gujarat has witnessed a drastic fall in price this year.
The only intervention so far is by the CCI, which has started 32 procurement centres all over the state offering a minimum support price of Rs 1,960 per quintal this season. But farmers, who sold the crop between Rs 2,500 and Rs 2,700 last year, are finding it difficult to accept the price offered. In the open market, the price is even lower: between Rs 1,800 and Rs 1,900.
According to CCI, Gujarat officials, of the 50 lakh cotton bales produced this season, they have managed to buy around 80,000 bales in the last four days. ‘‘We have our limitations and are keeping a close watch on the market. We might increase procurement centres if needed,’’ an official said.
While the State Agriculture Department in a recent release agreed to procure other crops at declared support prices, it has not included cotton. ‘‘Cotton is not considered an essential crop, but 75 per cent of farmers in this region cultivated it this season. Gujarat government should try to emulate the Maharashtra model,’’ says Bharuch-based Chandrakant Patel, chairman of Central Gujarat Cotton Dealer’s Association.
A delegation of cotton farmers and co-operative farming leaders had met Agriculture Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama recently, but that has meant little.
‘‘There is no official word from the State Government, and cotton prices continue to fall each day,’’ Chandrakantbhai says.
Chudasama, admitting that he had received numerous representations, says: ‘‘I intend to take up the matter with Sharad Pawar and Shankersinh Vaghela.’’
Till that happens, the farmers will have to wait.