Hype over quantity of cotton produce

Cotton commission agents and owners of the private ginning and pressing factories are busy in creating hype about quality of cotton yield for this Kharif in the Adilabad district of Telangana. 

They were preparing a ground for indulging in irregularities like in the past in purchasing cotton at cheaper rate from Maharashtra and sell the same to CCI and get good margin.

It is alleged that cotton commission agents amassed huge wealth though fraudulent means in Adilabad. There were many incidents where it was shown in the commercial cotton purchases that a farmer who cultivated cotton in his five acre land sold 250 quintals of cotton in the last Kharif.

Hardly farmers get 15-20 quintals of cotton yield in one acre that too in black soil with the irrigation facility otherwise farmers get an average 10 quintals in one acre land in the district.

Some of the cotton commission agents and owners of factories were mounting pressures on the cotton farmers to sell their cotton produce much earlier without waiting for higher price for their yield in the international market.

Farmers to get barcoded ID's

The marketing department will issue barcoded identity cards containing farmers’ details for use in cotton purchases to control irregularities at the Market yards in the Telangana.

Details of land, crops, bank account, pattadar pass book will be barcoded into the cards. Efforts are being made to start the commercial cotton purchases from September 27 in the Adilabad district.    

It is learnt that state government came out issue barcode  identity cards for farmers following the reports of huge irregularities in cotton purchases in Kharif-2014 in Warangal, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts.

It was found that cotton commission agents and owners of the Cotton ginning and pressing factors had purchased the cotton produce at low prices from the farmers on benami names and sold it to the Cotton Corporation of India at higher prices.

The farmers, already facing distress, were deprived of even minimum support price of Rs 4,050 announced by the Central government last Kharif.

Collector M. Jagan Mohan said they the use of the barcoded ID cards would prevent irregularities in the cotton purchases at market yards.

Minister Jogu Ramanna said nearly 56 lakh quintals of cotton purchases takes place last Kharif in the district.

But the Agriculture department figures showed that cotton crop was badly damaged and withered due to drought conditions and cotton yields were low and did not cross 35 lakh quintals in the last Kharif in the Adilabad district.

Nearly 21 lakh of cotton was purchased from the farmers of bordering Maharashtra and other parts of state at cheaper prices and sold to the CCI of Adilabad branch, at MSP of Rs 4,050 by the middlemen and owner of the ginning factories.

Even the Adilabad marketing department claimed that its revenue in terms of taxes on cotton purchases had been increased, contradicting the agriculture department figures.        

Irregularities in sale of subsidised red onions

Subsidized red onions being supplied by the state government has brought great relief to the poor in the wake of skyrocketing prices in the open market.

But apart from the poor ,even some government employees and members of financially sound families are seen queuing up in front of the sales counters for subsidized red onions.

State government is reportedly bearing Rs 29 subsidy amount on each kg red onions which it purchases for Rs 46 per kg from wholesale Lasalgaom market in Nashik in bordering Maharashtra and incurs Rs 3 transport charges per kg. But, it supplies 2 kg of those onions for Rs 20 k per kg to each family.

It is learnt that state government is purchasing huge quantities of red onions from Lasalgaom market for all the districts in the state.

Nearly 230 quintals of subsidized red onion have been distributed to customers on showing Aaadhar card, ration card or any other proof in the last 20 days at Adilabad Rythu Bazar alone.

Long queues were seen in front of the selling counter at Rythu Bazars for subsidized red onions being supplied through marketing department.

Incharge Estate officer of Adilabad Rythu Bazar Jaisheelan said there was good demand for subsidized red onions as the white onions are being sold at Rs 50 -60 per kg in the open market.

There are strong allegations that some of the officials in marketing department are diverting the subsidized red onions to black market and hotels and restaurants due to lack of checks by top officials and that they are not maintaining the details of the sales and customers.

As many as102 tones and 80 kg red onions have been allotted to the Adilabad district so far from August5 and among them 82 tones and 86 kg have been sold till now.

Assistant Director of Marketing T. Srinivas said the state government is bearing nearly Rs 29 on each kg red onions and added that two or more members of the same family are taking subsidized onions with their individual Aaadhar cards and opined that it would be good if ration card is made as identity proof to check this.

Probe into anomalies in building check dams: TRS