Mahabubabad: Cotton price touches 5-digit mark

Mahabubabad: A day after the 'white gold' fetched Rs 10,000 a quintal in Khammam district, the farmers in erstwhile Warangal district also joined the party. Cotton commanded a highest price of Rs 10,001 per quintal at the Kesamudram Agriculture Market Yard in Mahabubabad district on Thursday. This is the first time that the price of cotton touched a five-digit price in Telangana.

On the other hand, the price of cotton reached Rs 9,750 a quintal at the Enumamula Market Yard in Warangal, and Rs 9,826 in Mahabubabad market. Surprisingly, the price of white gold this season is much more than the CCI's support price of Rs 6,025 per quintal. Right from the beginning of the season, the cotton price stayed over Rs 7,000 per quintal, and witnessed a gradual surge.

According to agriculture officials, farmers cultivated cotton in 62,000 acres in Hanumakonda district, 2 lakh acres in Warangal district, 1.80 lakh acres in Jangaon, one lakh acres in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district and Mahabubabad districts, and 50,000 acres in Mulugu district. Meanwhile, the TRS leaders celebrated the price hike by cutting a cake and distributing sweets at Kesamudram.

Market committee chairman Marri Narayana Rao felicitated farmer Mallaiah whose cotton fetched him Rs 10,001 per quintal by a shawl. He urged the farmers to sell their produce at the market yard instead of going to traders and middlemen.