Vijayawada: Cotton growers across Andhra Pradesh are in deep distress as the incessant rains triggered by Cyclone Montha have ravaged vast stretches of standing cotton crop at a time when harvesting was about to begin. The fresh spell of heavy rains has compounded the woes of farmers who were already struggling due to delayed procurement operations by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI).
According to official data, cotton is cultivated in about 4.56 lakh hectares across the state this kharif season, with an estimated production of 8 lakh metric tonnes or 15.23 lakh bales. Farmers fear that at least 30 percent of the stock would be damaged due to the massive rains. The major cotton-growing districts include Kurnool, Palnadu, NTR, Guntur, and Anantapur. Farmers, who had been hoping to at least recover their cost of cultivation through the Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations, now fear that continuous rains and moisture may severely impact both the quality and yield of their produce.
The MSP for the 2025–26 season has been fixed at ₹8,110 per quintal for long-staple varieties and ₹7,710 per quintal for medium-staple cotton.
However, the delay in opening procurement centres and sluggish response from CCI have left farmers uncertain about timely payments and price realization. This has triggered widespread anxiety, especially in Palnadu, Kurnool, and Guntur districts, where thousands of hectares of ready-to-harvest cotton have been damaged.
As per the agriculture marketing department, 30 procurement centres have been proposed across the state, of which 11 are located in agricultural market committees (AMCs) and the rest at ginning mills identified by the CCI. The govt has directed district administrations to ensure readiness of these centres with adequate facilities such as moisture meters, weighing bridges, fire safety systems, and digital infrastructure for farmer registration through the CM App and Kapas Kisan App.
Joint collectors have been asked to coordinate with CCI and agricultural marketing officers to expedite MSP operations. VAAs have been instructed to register farmers, book slots, and create awareness about quality parameters and procurement norms to prevent distress sales. Despite these efforts, the prevailing weather conditions have disrupted field-level operations, and farmers are demanding immediate intervention by the state and central agencies to begin emergency procurement before the crop suffers irreversible damage. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether cotton growers can salvage any part of their investment from a season now marred by both nature and neglect.
