CCI May Procure 100 Lakh Bales This Season

Natural Fibers

CCI May Procure 100 Lakh Bales This Season

With cotton arrivals picking up in all major cultivation centres, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has started purchases in places where the market price has equalled the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

According to CCI-director (marketing) M M Chokkalingam, the corporation is purchasing approximately 15,000 bales a day now. "The plan is to buy 100 lakh bales this year at both MSP prices and through commercial purchase."

Production is expected to exceed 385 lakh bales of cotton this year and prices are expected to come under stress especially for Shankar 6 (which is grown in Gujarat), Bunny/Brahma varieties from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.

"The arrivals are nearly one lakh bales a day now. The prices are already down and will drop further when the arrivals touch two lakh or 2.5 lakh bales a day by the end of this month," he said.

Moisture concerns

Trade sources here added that the cotton arriving in the market has slightly higher moisture content, especially in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Purchases by textile mills may be impacted if the moisture content is high. The minimum support price for Shankar 6 is Rs 4,270 a quintal and for BB varieties, Rs 4,320 a quintal. Market price of Shankar 6 is Rs 10,545 a quintal and that for BB varieties, Rs 10,798 a quintal. Last year, market prices had been higher. The MSP is not adequate and Gujarat has announced a bonus price over the MSP if CCI commenced purchasing. Maharashtra and Telangana are also expected to announce a bonus amount if there is intervention by the CCI, the sources said.

In 2014-2015, CCI had purchased 86 lakh bales. Last year, its intervention was not much as prices were high. This year, it has got government approval to go up to 100 lakh bales. If prices stabilise, the CCI might purchase less than 100 lakh bales, he said.