Mumbai, February 27 At least 106.99 lakh quintals of cotton worth Rs 8,497 crore had been procured from over five lakh farmers by February 16, Maharashtra Minister Jaykumar Rawal said on Friday, dismissing claims about technical glitches and malpractice in the process.
Cotton procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is conducted in the state through the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), the nodal agency under the Union Textiles Ministry.
Rawal, in a written reply in the state assembly, said allegations regarding technical glitches in the 'Kapas Kisan' mobile app for slot booking in Jalna district in January 2026 were false.
He said 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.
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, 2026, 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 said 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.