Will increase farm suicide and distress: Cotton growers protest removal of import duty on cotton

Cotton growers across the state have protested against the decision of the central government to lift the 11 per cent import duty on cotton till September. Farm leaders said that this move would accelerate farm suicide and farm distress.

On Tuesday, the central government declared the removal of the 11 per cent import duty on cotton. This move has been welcomed by the Textile Trade, saying imports would help in reducing the stress on the industry due to higher prices of domestic produce.

Laximkant Kauthakar, Vidarbha president of Shetkari Sanghatana said this move would result in distress for cotton growers in Marathwada and Vidarbha, “Even before the present crop has hit the market, prices are below the government declared Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 7,710/quintal (medium staple). Once the new crop comes in it would dip further. With imports now threatening to flood the market, we can’t imagine how the prices would react,” he said. Kauthankar who himself is a cotton farmer from Akola, Maharashtra said this move might push more farmers to die by suicide.