27 February,2026 04:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra Minister Jaykumar Rawal. File Pic
On Day 5 of Maharashtra Budget Session 2026 on Friday, Minister Jaykumar Rawal stated that at least 106.99 lakh quintals of cotton, valued at Rs 8,497 crore, had been procured from over five lakh farmers up to February 16, dismissing claims of technical glitches or malpractice in the process, news agency PTI reported.
He noted that cotton procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) in the state is carried out through the Cotton Corporation of India, the designated agency under the Union Textiles Ministry.
Rawal, in a written reply in the state assembly, also said allegations regarding technical glitches in the 'Kapas Kisan' mobile app for slot booking in Jalna district in January 2026 were false.
He stated that 7.20 lakh farmers have successfully registered on the app, and procurement has been proceeding smoothly, without any complaints regarding technical issues to the CCI, PTI reported.
The minister also denied allegations of malpractice or exploitation of farmers at procurement centres, stating that cotton meeting MSP quality standards is purchased strictly as per Government of India guidelines.
Cotton that does not meet prescribed standards is ineligible for procurement, he said.
For the 2025-26 cotton season, 168 procurement centres were opened across the state, and as of February 16, a total of 106.99 lakh quintals worth Rs 8,497 crore had been procured from 5,02,598 farmers, the minister said.
On production limits, Rawal stated that the CCI's procurement is based on average yield data (9.58 quintals per acre) issued by the agriculture commissionerate, Pune, and farmers producing more than the average can submit certification from local authorities to enable procurement of additional quantity at MSP.
He further dismissed claims that the removal of 11 per cent import duty between October 1 and December 31, 2025, led to losses to farmers, and said that CCI procured 74.86 lakh quintals of cotton worth Rs 5,937.85 crore in Maharashtra during the period.
The Maharashtra Marketing Minister also informed that pending payments to onion farmers are being cleared, admitting that delays in disbursal had led to protests earlier this year, PTI reported.
In a written reply in the state assembly, Rawal stated that agencies are currently processing dues related to onion procurement, assuring that payments will be completed at the earliest.
The minister highlighted that farmers had staged a protest outside the NAFED office in Nashik on January 5 over pending payments. At the time, dues of around Rs 20 crore linked to the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) were outstanding.
The procurement of onions had been carried out on a large scale between June and August last year by NAFED and NCCF under the Centre's Price Stabilisation Fund scheme.
While most farmers were paid within the stipulated timeframe, Rawal acknowledged that some payments were delayed due to administrative reasons.
(With PTI inputs)
