Ban bleeds state farmers

This is the plight of most of the farmers in Gujarat. The state has already seen potatoes and onion glut. Blanket ban on raw cotton was the last thing farmers,traders and ginners wanted in the state. The result is: fate of over 20 lakh bales is hanging in the balance. This also include 10 lakh bales that have been lying at ports for the export. This year,the state has seen bumper crop over 1.20 crore bales.

The Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday had written a letter to Centre demanding lift of the ban.

The leaders have been calling this a worse year in recent times.

“This is clearly the worst year for farmers in recent times. The farmers are not in a position to recover even production cost,” Bhartiya Kisan Sangh secretary Praful Senjalia said. The Sangh on Tuesday took out rallies at various cities in Saurashtra demonstrating against cotton export ban. Potatoes and onion prices had plummeted to almost Rs 1 to 5 per kg,which has registered only significant hike to Rs 10 by now.

The prices of cotton plummeted by 5 per cent on Tuesday. Till Sunday it was around Rs 33,000 per candy.

“The sudden ban with no reason has spread panic among farmers. If ban was not enough,even quota that was waiting for shipment has also been stopped,” said Saurashtra Ginners Association president Bharat Vala,adding,“Not only monetary loss,which will be huge,the ban will also spoil image of Indian traders in international market for failing to provide material after signing deals.” Vala and other experts have been putting the loss for Gujarat in wake of ban to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

Ginning mills to observe bandh

As many as 1,000 ginning mills in the state will observe a two-day bandh from Wednesday in protest against the Centre’s decision to ban export of cotton.

“We have decided to suspend work at ginning mills on March 7 and March 8 against the Centre’s decision to ban cotton export,” President of Saurashtra Ginners Association Bharat Vala said.