Government Pledges Uninterrupted Cotton Procurement Amid Digital Overhaul

In a move to bolster the cotton sector, Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh has assured farmers that all cotton arriving at markets, conforming to Minimum Support Price (MSP) criteria, will be procured without any disruption. This assurance underlines the government's steadfast commitment to safeguarding the interests of cotton farmers by ensuring they receive a fair price for their produce.

The Union Minister chaired an important review meeting in New Delhi with top officials, including Lalit Kumar Gupta, CMD of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), to evaluate the readiness for MSP operations in the upcoming 2025-26 Kharif Marketing Season. The meeting confirmed that cotton procurement would begin on October 1, 2025. The government has embraced a digital-first approach, ensuring all processes from procurement by CCI to stock sales are entirely online, echoing its Digital India initiative.

For the first time, standardized norms for procurement centers have been established, considering factors like cotton cultivation areas and the availability of processing facilities. Consequently, a record 550 procurement centers are being set up across major cotton-producing states with staggered commencement in October. The new 'Kapas-Kisaan' app allows for Aadhaar-based self-registration and slot booking to streamline operations, while direct payments to farmers' accounts promise increased transparency. Helplines and local committees stand ready for immediate support. Meanwhile, tax exemptions on cotton imports are extended to aid the textile industry amid U.S. tariff pressures.

(With inputs from agencies.)