The Center has launched the ₹600 crore ‘Kapas Kranti Mission’ to promote high-yielding, long-life cotton cultivation through scientific research, technological innovation and extension services. Farmers in Maharashtra, especially in the Akola region, have adopted High Density Plantation (HDP) methods, which significantly increase yields.
The plan is to replicate these practices in suitable areas of Telangana by taking farmers to Maharashtra to experience these methods first hand, supply them with suitable seeds and motivate them to adopt HDP techniques. A visit to the post-harvest exhibition at Akola is also planned so that farmers can observe the successful practices of GDP, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy informed on Friday.
Regarding the current cotton procurement, Mr. Reddy told a press conference that currently about 24 million farmers are engaged in cotton cultivation in Telangana, making the state the leading producer of cotton in India. From October 21 to 24, agriculture and marketing officials will conduct a five-day awareness drive across villages to promote the application and purchase process.
About 122 malls are set to open after Diwali. Committees led by district collectors and comprising officials, police, revenue officials and farmers’ representatives have been set up in each mall to address complaints and prevent exploitation, he said.
A special mobile application ‘Kapas Kisan App’ will also be launched to facilitate slot booking and streamline the sales process for farmers. The minister urged farmers to use the app, which will be “live” after Diwali and will allow farmers to book slots to sell their produce to plan their sale and avoid middlemen, ensuring fair prices and transparency.
Information campaigns are carried out through leaflets, social media, WhatsApp groups and videos in nine languages. Newspaper advertisements also provide details of acceptable humidity levels and corresponding prices. Agriculture officials also visit villages to help farmers register applications and distribute information materials. The tech-savvy rural youth are also helping fellow farmers navigate the digital platform to ensure smooth implementation, he said.
A total of 345 ginning centers have been notified in Telangana, with agreements made with CCI – Cotton Corporation of India. Awareness of slot reservation is being promoted at the village level by agriculture officials, panchayat officials and progressive farmers.
A review meeting was held with CCI officials from Adilabad, Warangal and Mahbubnagar, along with Telangana Agriculture and Cooperatives department officials and the issues raised during the will were escalated to the textile ministry and CCI headquarters for resolution, he said.
Between 2004 and 2014, the Center procured 173 thousand bales of cotton worth ₹ 24,825 crore through CCI. In contrast, from 2014 to 2024, procurement rose to 473 million parcels with an expenditure of ₹ 1.37 crore, a testament to increased support from the Center under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.
Over the past decade, the Center has doubled the minimum support price (MSP) for cotton. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh alone, the Center has spent ₹65,000 crore on cotton procurement in the last ten years — ₹58,000 crore in Telangana and ₹8,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Reddy said.
The minister claimed that strict action is being taken against the gleaning stations and middlemen involved in malpractices. The government has also cracked down on counterfeit seeds, with several companies and sellers already penalized. Offenders are registered under the PD Act and licenses are revoked, he added.
Published – 17 Oct 2025 19:20 IST
