Jalgaon: Farmers are unhappy due to a lack of price for cotton; export of cotton is stopped, income is reduced, and cotton is not available. Ginners cannot afford to pay more than Rs. 7400 to 7500 per gin. Due to this, the cotton industry is currently in a big crisis, and if the situation continues, more than 150 ginning factories in Khandesh will remain closed next year, said Pradeep Jain, founder president of Khandesh Ginning Prasingh Karkhandar Sangh, while talking to FPJ today.
Farmers in Khandesh grow cotton every year as a cash crop. The highest cotton production in the state is in Khandesh. Jalgaon, Dhule, and Nandurbar districts together produce 15 lakh bales of cotton every year. Over 150 ginning factories in Khandesh depend on this cotton for processing. Direct and indirect employment depend on it on a large scale.
This year, heavy rains have had a big impact on cotton production, and cotton production has decreased due to the rains. This has hit the farmers hard. This year, so far, 5.5 to 6 lakh bales of cotton have been ginned from farmers, and 2.5 lakh bales of cotton are lying in the farmers’ houses, hoping that the cotton will get a good price.
Today, cotton exports are closed. There is a stock of 40 lakh bales imported into the country. As a result, the internal economic situation is bad. Although farmers expect higher prices, traders claim that they cannot afford to pay more than 7400 to 7500 per hectare. Due to this, cotton procurement is stalled. At present, cotton arrivals have decreased, but there is no demand for cotton. Due to a lack of prices, farmers have stopped bringing cotton to the market.
Currently, the wholesale price of cotton has fallen from 56 thousand to 53 thousand. The price of sugar has also decreased. There is no demand for cotton in the international market. Due to this, cotton procurement in the cotton market in Khandesh is stalled. If farmers do not get prices for cotton, farmers will reduce cotton sowing next year, and ginning in Khandesh will close, Pradeep Jain expressed his fear.
