SKM slams government for removing import duty on cotton

New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) slammed the Centre on Monday over the removal of the import duty on cotton till the end of September and said it will impact the cotton farmers deeply.

At a press conference here, SKM leaders Rakesh Tikait, Hannan Mollah, Prem Singh Gehlawat, Rajan Kshirsagar and Krishna Prasad said the elimination of the 11-per cent duty on cotton imports with immediate effect from August 19 till September 30 will push down the prices of domestic cotton.

Addressing the media, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) vice president and former CPI(M) MP Hannan Mollah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised that he would stand "like a wall" to defend the country's farmers.

"It did not even take four days to remove the 11-per cent duty on cotton," he said.

"The immediate impact of this decision will be particularly severe as farmers in most cotton-growing areas have already sown their crops almost two months ago and sunk significant costs in anticipation of getting remunerative prices for their produce. This move to scrap import duties comes at a particularly bad time as farmers prepare to harvest their crop," he said.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Tikait said removing the duty will make the farmers suffer.

"If the duty is removed, the local farmers will suffer. Only by imposing duty, we can control any items being imported. In certain items, we can impose a duty of up to 300 per cent. Farmers in other countries get a subsidy of up to 72 per cent. Here we do not even get a 3-4 per cent subsidy," he said.

"The government should tell that whether removing the duty will benefit farmers. It will lead to an increase in farmer-suicide cases," Tikait said.

He also said if the United States is creating tariff pressure on India, people should boycott foreign goods.

"If they are imposing tariffs, people have to come forward and boycott foreign goods. We can also boycott many of their products or reduce the use of some. Cold drinks, for example. Who says you cannot live without cold drinks? Even if you cut the consumption by 50 per cent, it will make a difference," Tikait said.

Asked if the SKM has approached the government over the issue, he said the "government has not talked to anyone from the SKM since February 2021".

Gehlawat of the All India Kisan Mahasabha said the US government is putting pressure on India to open Indian markets to other farm products from the US.

"Unless farmers make it clear to the Indian government that such anti-farmer decisions will not be tolerated, it is likely that the Modi government will succumb to the US pressure and take such decisions for other crops as well," he said.

AIKS leader Kshirsagar said they will take the protests to villages.

Prasad said the farmers are not getting a price for their crops in accordance with the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the government. He also added that the MSP fixed by the government is not in accordance with the formula suggested by the Swaminathan Commission.

The SKM urged the cotton farmers to burn the copies of the notification and stage protests in villages.

They also said public meetings will be held in cotton-growing villages on September 1, 2 and 3 to adopt a resolution urging the prime minister to repeal the August 19 notification to scrap the 11-per cent import duty on cotton and immediately declare Rs 10,075 per quintal as the MSP based on the C2+50 per cent formula of the Swaminathan Commission.

A signature campaign and house-to-house leaflet distribution will also be conducted in support of a memorandum to be given to the president of the respective local body before September 10.

"If the prime minister is not taking an immediate decision on the demand, then cotton farmers will convene a mandal mahapanchayat and organise a protest march to the respective members of Parliament," the SKM resolution said.

In a statement, the SKM said the area under cotton cultivation is around 120.55 lakh hectares in India, which represents about 36 per cent of the world's total cotton area, and India is the world's largest in terms of cotton acreage.

Among the states, Maharashtra has the largest area dedicated to cotton cultivation, followed by Gujarat and Telangana. Approximately 67 per cent of India's cotton cultivation relies on rain-fed areas.

"Based on CACP calculations for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25: Projected C2 cost of production: Rs 6,230 per quintal. Reports and analyses indicate that cotton farmers in India likely suffered losses in the 2024-25 season due to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) not being fixed at the C2+50% level," the SKM said.

According to the farmers' body, the loss suffered by the cotton farmers per acre in 2024-25 was Rs 31,500. PTI AO RC