11th November 2009.The Andhra Pradesh Government has asked the Union Government to direct the Cotton Corporation of India to open more purchase centres in the State. In a letter to Mr Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister of Textiles, on Tuesday, Mr K. Rosaiah, Chief Minister, said that CCI had opened 17 centres so far for purchase of cotton during this year as against 48 last year. During your meeting at New Delhi, CCI authorities have agreed to open more centres only wherever composite mills are functioning. This means that CCI would open about 30 centres in the State. Compare this against 73 centres opened in 70 locations last year. Stating that cotton farmers were under heavy pressure due to the drought and, then, unprecedented rains, he said they were forced to sell cotton much below the minimum support price) to private traders. As a result, they faced severe losses.
