The Cotton Corporation of India's (CCI) ambitious digital push for cotton procurement has encountered significant resistance in Punjab. The newly introduced 'Kapas Kisan' mobile app, which mandates Aadhaar-based pre-registration for farmers, is being widely avoided, leading to minimal government purchases despite an expected arrival of over 3 lakh quintals of cotton in the state's markets.
Relaxed Norms Fail to Tempt Farmers
In an attempt to streamline the process, the CCI had initially required farmers to upload freshly verified 'girdwari' (land cultivation records) from the revenue department to be eligible for Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement. Following pushback and requests from the Punjab Government, the Central Government relaxed this rule in the third week of October.
Now, farmers are permitted to use land records based on seed-subsidy data. This was possible because the state provided a 33 per cent subsidy on Bt cotton seeds this year, maintaining complete acreage records. A CCI officer from the Bathinda office confirmed, "The relaxation has been done, but the purchase is happening based on the registration being done by the farmer through the app."
Negligible Procurement Amidst High Arrivals
Despite the policy adjustment, the CCI's procurement figures tell a story of failure. To date, the corporation has purchased only around 4,000 quintals of cotton. This is a minuscule amount compared to the agriculture department's projection of 2 lakh bales (more than 3 lakh quintals) for the season.
This vacuum has been filled by private players, who are dominating purchases, largely at prices below the government's MSP. The CCI has implemented a seven-day rolling slot-booking system within the app for registered farmers to manage crowds, but the uptake remains poor.
Ground Reality: Tech Hassles and Tradition
On the ground, farmers cite multiple reasons for their reluctance. Sukhmandar Singh, president of BKU Rajewal in Fazilka, explained, "The farmers are finding self-registration through the Kapas Kisan app a hassle and hence are preferring to sell it to private players. Many farmers don't even have their old bills of seeds purchased on subsidy; many are not tech-savvy and prefer the old-school way."
An Abohar-based farmer, Sukhjinder Singh Rajan, echoed this sentiment, stating that while the relaxed norms are nice, the agriculture department needs to investigate why farmers are still not selling to the CCI.
The statistics from major cotton-growing districts like Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa, and Fazilka are stark:
- Fazilka: 54,900 quintals arrived; CCI purchased only 2,000 quintals.
- Mansa: 21,230 quintals arrived; CCI bought just 139 quintals.
- Bathinda: 34,606 quintals arrived; CCI purchased 117 quintals.
Adding to the complexity, CCI officials doubt the initial crop estimates due to significant damage from waterlogging and floods. Punjab's cotton acreage, though slightly higher this year at 1.19 lakh hectares, is a shadow of its former self, having plummeted from 3.35 lakh hectares in 2019.
With the MSP for this season ranging from ₹7,545 to ₹7,860 per quintal, the CCI has extended the deadline for app registration from October 31 to December 31, hoping for a late surge in farmer participation as the paddy procurement season concludes.
