The ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai launched a Pilot Project for trading of the seed cotton on the basis of lint realization or Ginning Percentage (GP). The Project has been launched in association with the major Cotton Mandi of Central India i.e. Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Hinganghat, Wardha, Maharashtra. The Pilot Project is being implemented under the leadership of Dr. P.G. Patil, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai through the Institute’s Ginning Training Centre at Nagpur.
The main objective of the project is to assure the higher prices to the farmers than the Minimum Support Prices (MSP).
Conventionally, the seed cotton is traded irrespective of the lint percentage that is a major price deciding component. With an aim to empower the farmers with the additional benefits, the ginning percentage in the project will be determined on laboratory model ginning machines supplied by the ICAR-CIRCOT before auction in the APMC. The premium rates are offered over and above 34% ginning percentage. One percentage increase in GP will fetch minimum additional premium rate of Rs. 100/-per quintal.
Around 200 farmers were present during the launching of the Pilot Project.
