Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur   

Cotton sale proves rough this year

G. Srinivasan

Overproduction leads to price fall Overproduction leads to price fall

THANJAVUR: With an overproduction throughout the country, cotton farmers of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts have to be content with a low price for their produces this year.

The farmers, who sold cotton for Rs.2400 to Rs.2500 per quintal last year, have sold only for Rs.1950 per quintal as maximum and Rs.1400 per quintal as minimum this year.

Cotton stock had piled up at a private procurement centre at Valangaiman in Tiruvarur district. "The price is now only Rs.1400 per quintal. We are selling cotton to areas like Erode and Perambalur," said a private trader.

The regulated marketing facility provided by the Government has to some extent helped the farmers. Most of the farmers who sold cotton through regulated markets could do so for Rs.1950 per quintal.

According to Dhanabal, secretary of the Thanjavur Marketing Committee, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) had procured 717 quintals of cotton from Thanjavur district farmers offering a price of Rs.1950 per quintal. Through the regulated market at Kumbakonam 6163 quintals of cotton had been sold this year. Similarly at Papanasam 6976 quintals of cotton and at Thiruvidaimaruthur 1825 quintals have been sold.

Cotton would be raised as a summer crop and as an alternative to paddy in the Cauvery delta districts. Mostly hybrid varieties of cotton were raised. With the season coming to a fag end, the quality of cotton has come down, say traders. Procurement would continue for another month, they added.

In Tiruvarur district, a total of 20, 140 quintals of cotton have been sold through regulated markets this year.

According to Kaliyaperumal, secretary of Tiruvarur Marketing Committee, the average price for cotton this year in the district was Rs.1750 per quintal and the minimum price was Rs.1430 per quintal.

"Thirty per cent of the cotton produced in Tiruvarur district is sold through regulated markets. Cotton worth Rs.3.38 crores have been sold through regulated markets this year in the district," said Kaliayperumal.

Mr. Kaliyaperumal said that a maximum quantity of 8178 quintals was sold through the Tiruvarur regulated market followed by 7221 quintals through Valangaiman regulated market. Other regulated markets in Tiruvarur district were at Kodavasal, Poonthottam and Mannargudi.

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