Fri Jan 02 15:37:50 UTC 2026: Here’s a summary of the provided text followed by a news article:
Summary:
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) is unlikely to purchase cotton from Tamil Nadu farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP) this year. This is because Tamil Nadu does not meet the CCI’s requirements, which include a minimum of 3,000 hectares under cotton cultivation per taluk, a ginning factory, and a market center in the cotton growing area. While CCI identified locations for procurement centers, Tamil Nadu lacks nearby ginning factories and a system for verifying cotton quality. Farmers in Tamil Nadu are currently selling cotton below MSP due to lower open market prices. The CCI suggests farmers consider covering transportation costs to ginning factories in order to access the MSP. Despite a smaller cotton production compared to states such as Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu still produces 3.5 to 5 lakh bales of cotton.
News Article:
Cotton Corporation of India Likely to Bypass Tamil Nadu Farmers for MSP Purchases
COIMBATORE – January 2, 2026 – The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has announced it is unlikely to procure cotton from farmers in Tamil Nadu at Minimum Support Price (MSP) this year, according to a CCI official speaking to The Hindu.
The decision stems from Tamil Nadu’s failure to meet key criteria set by the CCI for MSP purchases. These requirements include a minimum of 3,000 hectares of cotton cultivation per taluk, the presence of a ginning factory, and a local market center.
“We identified nine locations for potential procurement centers, even finalizing four,” stated the CCI official. “However, crucial infrastructure like ginning factories are lacking in close proximity to cotton growing regions.”
The absence of nearby ginning factories and a reliable system for quality verification has prompted the CCI to prioritize purchases in states like Andhra Pradesh, where these conditions are met.
While Tamil Nadu farmers face the prospect of selling cotton below MSP due to lower open market prices, the CCI suggests they explore bearing transportation costs to existing ginning facilities.
Tamil Nadu produces an estimated 3.5 to 5 lakh bales of cotton annually, a volume that, while significant, appears insufficient to warrant CCI’s intervention under the current circumstances. This decision puts pressure on Tamil Nadu’s agricultural sector and highlights the need for improved infrastructure and policy support for cotton farmers in the region.
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