Nagpur: Cotton growers will now have to log on to the Kapas Kisan app to sell their produce at the minimum support price (MSP). However, the new app-based slot booking system launched by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has left farmers in Vidarbha worried.
The move comes at a time when the government's lifting of import duty on cotton has triggered a dip in market rates, raising concerns among growers. With private traders unlikely to buy cotton at MSP, farmers are expected to depend largely on procurement by the CCI.
For the current season, the MSP for cotton has been fixed at ₹8,110 per quintal. After trial runs, the app is scheduled to be activated on September 1. Farmers can start registering their details on the app, while actual procurement at MSP will begin from October 15, in line with the harvest season.
A section of farmers pointed out that many cultivators are not tech-savvy. Even those with smartphones face the hurdle of patchy internet connectivity in the hinterland. Until now, cotton growers in belts such as Vidarbha could simply walk into procurement centres, register themselves physically, and offload their produce.
CCI officials, on their part, maintain that the digital system is designed to make the procurement process faster and more convenient.
However, the new system has created apprehension among a section of farmers who point out that many cultivators are not tech-savvy. Even those with smartphones face the hurdle of patchy internet connectivity in the hinterland.
Officials explained that with the app-based system, cotton growers can now book a slot in advance, arrive at the centre at the appointed time, and complete the process smoothly. In the earlier system, it often took days for a farmer to get his turn to offload cotton. "Registration can be done from home, reducing the need for long waits at procurement centres," they added.
"Under the new process, farmers must first enter their personal and crop details and book a slot before arriving at the procurement centre," officials said.
However, stakeholders fear that the digital shift may exclude a large number of cultivators. Roshan Kothari, a trader at the APMC in Wani, Yavatmal, estimated that barely 30% of farmers would be able to use the app effectively. "Not all farmers have smartphones, and even if they do, connectivity issues in rural areas remain a big challenge," he said.
Nitin Khadse, a farmer from Jalka village in Yavatmal, recalled the difficulties faced when cultivators had to upload land and crop details on the E-Peek Pahani app launched by the state government. "Many farmers found the process confusing and struggled to complete it," he said, warning that similar hurdles could arise with the Kapas Kisan app.
Falling cotton prices have compounded the challenges. The removal of import duty has led to a steep decline in the rates of processed cotton. The per-candy (356 kg) price of cotton sold by CCI has dropped by nearly ₹2,000 since the duty waiver was announced. CCI, which buys raw cotton at MSP, later sells the processed commodity in the open market.
Though the duty-free import window is currently effective only till September 30, traders warn that its impact may linger into the harvest season. "Looking at current per-candy rates, it is unlikely that private traders will buy at MSP. Open market prices are expected to remain in the range of ₹6,500 to ₹7,500 per quintal," said farm activist Vijay Jawandhia.
"This means farmers will have to depend almost entirely on CCI. In such a situation, the procurement system should be made easier for farmers rather than pushing them into an app-based process," he added.
