Govt Sets 550 Centres, Digital Push for Cotton MSP Operations 2025–26

Reaffirming the government’s priority to protect the livelihoods of cotton growers, Shri Giriraj Singh assured that all kapas arriving under MSP guidelines will be procured without disruption.

In a decisive step towards safeguarding farmer interests and ensuring smooth cotton procurement, Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh chaired a high-level review meeting on 2nd September 2025 in New Delhi. The meeting assessed the preparedness of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the Ministry of Textiles for Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations for the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season 2025–26, which begins on 1st October 2025.

The meeting was attended by Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles), Smt. Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Shri Lalit Kumar Gupta, CMD, CCI, and other senior officials, reflecting the government’s whole-of-sector approach to supporting cotton farmers.

Commitment to Cotton Farmers’ Welfare

Reaffirming the government’s priority to protect the livelihoods of cotton growers, Shri Giriraj Singh assured that all kapas arriving under MSP guidelines will be procured without disruption. He emphasized timely, transparent, and farmer-centric service delivery, and reiterated the government’s vision to ensure remunerative prices for farmers’ produce while accelerating the transition towards a digitally empowered cotton ecosystem.

The Minister highlighted that India, as the world’s second-largest cotton producer, has a responsibility to ensure both domestic price stability and the global competitiveness of its cotton sector. MSP operations, he noted, form a critical pillar in balancing farmer welfare with industry needs.

Digital India Integration in MSP Operations

In line with the Digital India vision, the government has made procurement completely faceless and paperless, right from initial farmer registration to final sale of CCI stocks. This transformation, Minister Singh said, has strengthened confidence and trust among farmers, traders, and other stakeholders.

For the first time, uniform norms have been established for setting up procurement centres. These norms factor in:

• Cotton cultivation area,

• Availability of functional APMC yards, and

• Presence of at least one stock processing facility near procurement centres.

As a result, a record 550 procurement centres have been set up across major cotton-producing states, ensuring broad access for farmers.

Staggered Procurement Schedule Across States

Procurement of cotton under MSP will commence in a phased manner:

• From 1st October in Northern states,

• From 15th October in Central states, and

• From 21st October 2025 in Southern states.

This staggered approach will ensure efficient logistics, adequate manpower deployment, and smoother operations across regions.

‘Kapas-Kisaan’ App for Digital Empowerment

Starting this season, farmers will benefit from the newly launched ‘Kapas-Kisaan’ mobile app. Key features include:

• Nationwide Aadhaar-based self-registration for cotton farmers,

• 7-day rolling slot booking to streamline procurement,

• Direct Aadhaar-linked payments through the National Automated Clearing House (NACH),

• SMS-based payment intimation, continuing from last year’s digital reforms.

This mobile-first approach ensures ease of access, transparency, and faster payments, eliminating delays that often burden farmers during peak harvest season.

On-Ground Support and Grievance Redressal

To ensure seamless operations, Local Monitoring Committees (LMCs) will be constituted at every APMC mandi for immediate grievance redressal by state authorities. Additionally:

• Dedicated state-level helplines and a centralized CCI helpline will remain active during procurement.

• Adequate manpower deployment, logistics support, and infrastructure readiness will be ensured before the cotton season begins.

These measures reflect a farmer-first approach, offering both proactive assistance and responsive mechanisms for problem-solving.

A Vision for Cotton Sector Transformation

Shri Giriraj Singh concluded the meeting by stating that the government’s reforms are not limited to short-term procurement but are part of a long-term strategy to strengthen India’s cotton economy. The move towards digital platforms, transparent procurement, and farmer-centric initiatives marks a structural shift in how cotton MSP operations are managed.

With record procurement centres, digital empowerment tools, and enhanced support mechanisms, the government aims to ensure that cotton farmers receive fair prices, timely payments, and access to a modernized, transparent procurement ecosystem—cementing India’s leadership in the global cotton value chain.