Kharif Cotton Season: MSP Alignment Urged

New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) The Union Textiles Ministry urged all cotton-growing states to ensure complete alignment with MSP operational norms in a review meeting held on the Kharif Cotton Season 2025-26, the government said on Thursday.

Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, led a comprehensive review of minimum support price (MSP) operations with key officials from all cotton-growing states and the Cotton Corporation of India Ltd (CCI).

The Kharif Cotton Season starts on October 1.

"Recognising cotton as a critical sector for millions of farmers, the (Textiles) Ministry is steering the national strategy to ensure hassle-free procurement, timely payments, and digital inclusion. During the meeting, clear guidelines were laid down and states were urged to ensure complete alignment with MSP operational norms," an official statement said.

A record 550 cotton procurement centres -- the highest ever -- have been operationalised across all 11 cotton-growing regions, ensuring accessibility for farmers and logistical efficiency during peak arrivals.

To align procurement with regional crop readiness, procurement operations are scheduled in Northern Zone (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan) from October 1, 2025, Central Zone (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha) from October 15, 2025 and Southern Zone (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu) from October 21, 2025.