The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has announced an extension of its bulk discount scheme for another two weeks, starting Monday, in an effort to clear out its remaining stocks from the 2024-25 season before the new season begins in October. Under this scheme, CCI is offering discounts ranging from ₹400 to ₹600 per candy (356 kg) for bulk purchasers, depending on the quantity bought, valid until the end of September.
Currently, CCI has less than 12 lakh bales of 170 kg each, procured at the minimum support price (MSP) from the 2024-25 season. On Tuesday, the corporation sold approximately 5,800 bales, with 3,200 going to mills and the rest to trading entities. During the initial phase of the bulk discount scheme, which ran from September 1 to 15, CCI successfully sold over 15 lakh bales. Prior to this, it held a stock of 27 lakh bales and had procured a total of one crore bales at MSP during the 2024-25 cotton season.
Cotton prices have faced downward pressure following the government’s decision to eliminate import duties on the fiber crop on August 19. In response, CCI has lowered its floor price by ₹2,000 per candy and introduced additional discounts of ₹400 to ₹600 for different categories of bulk buyers, aiming to make its offerings more competitive compared to imported cotton.
New Crop Arrivals Begin
The arrival of new cotton for the 2025-26 season has commenced in certain regions of North and South India. However, prices for this new cotton, which contains high moisture content, are reported to be below the MSP levels. The government has set the MSP at ₹7,710 per quintal for medium staple cotton and ₹8,110 per quintal for long staple cotton for the upcoming season. Data from the Cotton Association of India indicates that cotton arrivals on Tuesday totaled 13,900 bales.
For the kharif marketing season of 2025-26, starting in October, CCI has established a record 550 procurement centers across key cotton-producing states. Procurement at MSP will commence on October 1 in Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Orissa on October 15. Procurement in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu is scheduled to begin on October 21.
As of September 15, farmers have planted cotton on approximately 109.64 lakh hectares, a decrease from 112.48 lakh hectares during the same period last year.
