BRS working president KT Rama Rao at a protest in Adilabad market on Tuesday against cotton farmers’ problems. | Photo credit: By arrangement
HYDERABAD
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Tuesday staged protests in cotton-growing areas across the state in support of farmers facing hardships and demanded that the central and state governments lift restrictions on cotton procurement, such as the limit of accepting only seven cents of cotton per acre and moisture content of up to 12%.
Party working president KT Rama Rao visited Adilabad while senior leader T. Harish Rao visited Warangal (Enumamula) and Mahabubabad markets to meet farmers. Other senior party leaders also visited cotton supply centers and staged protests there in support of farmers’ demands. Before reaching the Adilabad market, Mr. Rama Rao along with Boath MLA Anil Jadhav and other party leaders went to the gin plant in Neradigonda where they visited the cotton, soybean and maize procurement centres. He told the farmers not to get disheartened as BRS will be on their side all the time.
During his visit to Adilabad Market Yard, Mr. Rama Rao met several farmers who expressed deep concern over the ongoing procurement crisis. They alleged that both the central and state governments have completely ignored their pleas and provided no support.
After meeting the farmers, Mr. Rama Rao asked, “If there is no problem for the farmers, why is the Adilabad market closed today? Why did the government prevent our visit to meet the farmers?” In the Kisan Kapas mobile application, he pointed out that many farmers do not own smartphones and several areas in Adilabad still lack proper mobile network connectivity. He pointed out that unseasonal rains and extreme frosts have increased the moisture content of cotton, recalling that in the previous BRS government, cotton with 20-22% moisture was obtained after increasing pressure on the Centre. “But today they are refusing to buy even at 12% moisture,” he said, adding that restrictions on quantity per acre and moisture content have so far allowed only one lakh quintals of cotton to be purchased.
The fertile land of Adilabad would give a yield of up to 15 quintals per acre, while only 7 quintals per acre was obtained from the farmers. Where should farmers sell their remaining produce, he wanted to know. On the other hand, Mr. Harish Rao visited Enumamula, Kesamudram and Mahabubabad markets. During his visit, he criticized the central and state governments for introducing grading of ginning stations from L1 to L12 based on their bids and reducing cotton purchase per acre along with moisture content norm. The restrictions forced farmers to sell their produce at ₹6,000 or less per quintal to private traders at a minimum support price of ₹8,100 per quintal.
Published – 18 Nov 2025 19:44 IST
