Cotton Export Cap Stays At 55 lakh Bales-TIMES OF INDIA

Cotton Export Cap Stays At 55 lakh Bales-TIMES OF INDIA

Ramu Bhagwat, TNN, Feb 12, 2011, 02.05am IST

Read more: Cotton export cap stays at 55 lakh bales - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Cotton-export-cap-stays-at-55-lakh-bales/articleshow/7479047.cms#ixzz1DiW2imW3

NAGPUR: The decision of Committee of Secretaries (CoS) in New Delhi to keep the cap on cotton exports at 55 lakh bales and reject state's request to increase it to 75 lakh bales has come as a shock for farm activists and cotton experts in the state. In January, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had persuaded the Union government to increase the export quota and also the deadline. Immediately after the market learnt of CoS decision, cotton prices that were touching an all-time high of Rs 7000 a quintal in mandis of Vidarbha, started sliding.

"The rates fell by at least Rs 300 a quintal in the domestic market on Friday. Around 20-30% of cotton crop is still with farmers, much of it came as bonus because of post-monsoon rains in October-November. These farmers were expecting to make good money and wipe out old losses in once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But the exports restriction would mean the domestic prices would come down," lamented Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti.

Slamming the Union government decision, he alleged that the bureaucrats were influenced by strong lobbying by textile mill owners who want cheap raw material to increase their profit margins.

"This decision is shocking. Why put a restriction when there is good demand in global market and benefits of good price can be passed on to cotton farmers who have suffered for over a decade because of unremunerative prices," asked Vijay Jawandhiya, a Shetkari Sanghatana leader from Wardha. "If the Union government does not reconsider the decision, we will launch an agitation from February 18," Tiwari warned.

Chairman of the Maharashtra State Cotton Growers Co-operative Marketing Federation N P Hirani said he was yet to get official information about decision to restrict the exports at 55 lakh bales. "If such a decision has been taken, it's unfortunate," he said. According to Hirani, cotton growers may not get another such chance of high open market prices domestically and globally.

"Floods hit crop in China and Pakistan while crop area was cut down in the US, the other major producer. So it's a rare chance that Indian farmer got this time as cotton crop in India was exceptionally good. Moreover, when 83 lakh bales were exported last year, why should the Centre scale it down in a good crop year," asked Hirani.

He said the government should review the latest crop situation and revise the exports target in couple of months as cotton would continue to arrive till April end.

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Vidarbha Cotton Farmers flay Cotton exports ceiling decision :Demand ‘Quota Free’ export of cotton bales

Nagpur -11^TH Feb.2011

Vidarbha cotton farmers flay the decision of the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) on Thursday met to review the cotton exports trends and to retain the cap of 55 lakh bales of natural fibre shipments for the current cotton season as of now and deferred decision of increasing it to 75 lakh bales as earlier decided by union Govt. and announced by union Agri.Minister Sharad Pawar but under pressure textile mill owners and unholy cartel of mill owners and Babus are working against the interest of cotton farmers who are in deep distress and committing suicide.

“First cotton prices in the international market raw cotton is ranging from 7500/- to 8000/- per quintal but domestic cotton textile mill owners lobby ahs managed to purchse maximum raw cotton in the price range of Rs.3500/- to Rs.4000/- ,only last fortnight cotton prices shoot to international level that is up to Rs.6,800/- in anticipation of union Govt. decision to increase the quota from 55 lakh bales to 75 lakh bales as announced by the concerned textile ministry, this is unfortunate decision and will ruined the cotton trade in India that will ruin the cotton farmer in future hence we demand the ‘quota free’ export of cotton bales when there is growing international demand .

There big deal in the quota curtailment decision and Minister and Babus who are advocating free trade and promotion of export are washing their hand with blood of dying farmers of cotton belt of India .” Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press note.

The Committee of Secretaries (CoS) on Thursday met to review the cotton exports trends and retained the cap of 55 lakh Bales of natural fibre shipments for the current cotton season as of now. CoS, including commerce and textiles secretaries met in Delhi. CoS, including commerce and textiles secretaries met and taken anti cotton farmer decision to safe guard economic interest of cotton mill mafia and it is reported that

QUOTE

Cotton exports ceiling retained

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/article1327391.ece

“As of now, we are maintaining the export figure (of 55 lakh bales for cotton exports),” Textiles Secretary Ms Rita Menon said.

The cotton season runs from October to September. Of the 55 lakh bales (170 kg each) ceiling fixed by the government, 38 lakh bales had already been exported till December 15. The government had allowed cotton shipments from November 1 and contracts had to be shipped within 45 days.

Later on, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under the Commerce Ministry, has allowed shipments of the remaining quantity of natural fibre and the traders can ship their cotton contracts till February 25.

According to the Cotton Advisory Board projections, the natural fibre production has been estimated at 329 lakh bales in the current cotton season against domestic demand, which is pegged at 266 lakh bales.

According to sources, between October to January 31, the cotton arrivals are about 165 lakh bales against earlier estimates of 195 lakh bales. Asked whether the cotton output data can be revised, she said, “Yes, it is possible.”

Earlier, the government had also decided to have a carry-forward stock of about 50 lakh bales of raw cotton at the end of the current cotton season.

Currently, cotton prices are ruling at around over Rs 50,000 a candy (356 kg) compared to about Rs 23,000 a candy in the domestic market.

UNQUOTE

We will not allow the conspiracy of cotton traders and textile ministry as there are very shocking news reports for kharif season 2010-11 cotton production as area under cultivation of Bt.cotton is above 110 lakhs hector and it was estimated and reported by Indian Council Agri. Research(ICAR-CICR) and so called Cotton Textiles Owners Association that there is ‘bumper crop of cotton’ estimated to 375 lakh bales but in reality the cotton crop is lowest in the India and cotton growers are in deep trouble and allowing the free export can give the relief to few farmers who are having or managing the irrigation facilities to get second crop of cotton but retaining the export quota will lower down the cotton price sin domestic market and will add fuel to on going agrarian crisis due excessive and record rain and massive floods in cotton cultivating areas which has damaged most of standing Bt.cotton crop and excessive rain has jumped the cultivation cost to double, but expected yield has been reduce to 50% hence we demand ‘quota free’ cotton export policy as GOI cant allow more than 200 million Indian cotton farmers to die in order to protect interest of 200 textile mill owners ,that’s main issue of unjust .” Kishor Tiwari of VJAS added.

If GOI failed to increase export quota we will start ‘National Highway Blockade, agitation from 18^th February, VJAS activist informed .

Pl arrange to publish this press note

KISHOR TIWARI

President

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti

Vidarbha Saga-Farmers still in interest trap-DNA

http://www.dnaindia.com/

Farmers still in interest trap

DNA / Shubhangi Khapre / Thursday, February 10, 2011 1:14 IST

Almost a year after the state government promised to impose stringent laws to arrest the exploitation of farmers at the hands of private moneylenders, the rate of borrowing has gone up to 36-40% in the state.

The laws remain on paper as the government has failed to put in place any regulatory body that could take action against the private moneylenders in the state. Highly-placed sources in the government said, “The case of Congress MLA Dilip Sananda, whose family runs a moneylending business, may have come to light because the Supreme Court passed strictures against former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for interfering in the work of the police by not allowing action against Sananda. But there are thousands of farmers who are still victims of the system, which allows moneylenders to loan funds on high rates of interest.”

According to the Maharashtra Money Lenders (regulation) Act, moneylenders have to return the land acquired from the borrowers (farmers) against the loans. It is also mandatory for the moneylenders not to charge high interest rates from the farmers. On an average, the rate of interest for agriculture loans is as low as 6-7%. But the records show that private moneylenders always charge a higher rate.

According to Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha jan Andolan (VJAS), “The government has put stringent laws against moneylenders on paper . But what is the use if they cannot define the roles of implementing agents? If the police act, the moneylenders lodge a complaint that it is not a competent authority to act, as the licences are issued by the assistant registrar (revenue department).”

What is shocking is that the moneylenders, instead of mortgaging the farmers’ land, enter into sale deal as a bargain to waive off the loans. As a result it gets difficult to challenge the moneylenders’ act in the court of law.

There are also reports that, despite strict laws, the number of private operators in the state and Andhra Pradesh has shown an increase over the years. Even the state economic survey indicates that number of farmers dependent on private moneylenders has increased, after state’s and Centre’s massive agriculture packages.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_farmers-still-in-interest-trap_1505674-all

Vidarbha Saga-The Death Recorder-Santosh Naitam

The Death Recorder

Purvai Dua and Nihar Gokhale

http://coveringdeprivation.acjnewsline.org/coveringdeprivation/Vidarbha/Purvai-Nihar_Death%20Recorder.html
Last Updated on January 21,2011 at 1700 hrs

Santosh Naitam of the Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti is a one-of-a-kind record keeper of farmer suicides in Vidarbha, making a strong statement against the government’s debatable methods of collecting these numbers.

Santosh Naitan- The suicide record keeper. Photo: Purvai Dua

Pandharkawada (Yavatmal): World over, protests have taken shape in different modes -- be it posters, hunger strikes, or violence. But, how do you protest against government crime records? Meet Santosh Naitam, 35, the ‘record-keeper of suicides’ of Vidarbha, a region that has seen thousands of farmers committing suicide in the past decade due to acute agricultural distress. He maintains ledgers – in hard and soft copies – with an entry for each farmer suicide.

The notion/idea of maintaining such a record of ‘actual’ farmer suicides was conceptualised by Kishore Tiwari, head of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJS), of which Naitan is the office secretary. Tiwari says boastfully, “This is the only record of its kind in the world, and Santosh the only such record-keeper.” The idea is to maintain alternative records that are independent of the official farmer suicide data, currently recorded by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Officially, a suicide has to pass various conditions to be eligible to be classified as a ‘farmer suicide’. To many these conditions are narrow-minded, and hence they see the numbers given by police records -- NCRB’s only source of suicide data -- as debatable. Thus, VJS keeps record of farmer suicides on its own, free from government’s definitions, and by relying on local knowledge and information network. Santosh Naitan indeed has a big job on hand.

This pioneer effort was first taken up in January 1999 and since then this data has challenged the NCRB Data gathering system in the district. The motive behind maintaining this unusual death record was to keep the slack government on its toes especially on issues such as farmer suicides. Vidarbha has gathered national media limelight in the recent times not only for rampant farmer suicides but also for the discrepancies in recorded data.

The method of collecting information on suicides in the Vidarbha region is done through a network of credible sources which includes village heads, relatives, neighbours, and personal inspection. Whenever a suicide occurs, either relatives or friends of the victim are encouraged to inform the VJS office on its landline phone. Naitan, being the office secretary, is present to receive such calls. His cell number is also available. Naitan cross-checks any such information he receives with the Sarpanch of the village. If the village is close to his office, he pays a visit to confirm the facts.

The register that bears testimony to twelve deaths in the first six days of 2011. Photo: Purvai Dua

Currently only the most basic data is entered in the register. This includes name, age, date of death, village name, taluka, and district. According to Naitan, plans to expand the categories are afoot. He keeps a back-up of all the records in his office computer.

At a time when the national media is harping on the reduced rate of suicide in the region, Naitan’s register is a stark, real-time reminder of the suicides that still take place. In 2010, 973 deaths were recorded in the register while the first six days of 2011 witnessed 12 suicides. A suicide has to fulfil 72 conditions to be eligible as a farmer suicide. Only then do the state’s packages trickle down to the kin through a process that takes around six months. Out of the Rs 1 lakh compensation, Rs 70,000 is in form of fixed deposits. The rest is given as a cheque.

Like most farmers, even Naitan has a debt of Rs 70,000 on his name. Santosh Naitan belongs to the nearby Hiwara Barsa village. He completed his Senior Secondary education before joining Kishore Tiwari‘s organisation. Father to a one-year -old baby girl, Naitan owns a 7-acre farm that is attended to by hired labourers. Naitan grows Bt Cotton on his farm, which is ironical since Tiwari and VJS has been advocating against the Bt variety. Naitan also grows Sorghum.

The register Naitan maintains updates the suicides as and when they happen. Between the hard cover lies hundreds of hard renching stories of Vidharbha’s agrarian crisis.

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Vidarbha farmer's and farm widow's protest dharana to demand ‘sacking of Union Minister Vilasrao Deshamukh ’

Vidarbha farmer's and farmn wiow's protest dharana to demand ‘sacking of Union Minister Vilasrao Deshamukh ’

Nagpur-8^th February 2011

Vidarbha farmers and farm widows today started agitation to press demand of sacking union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh after supreme court has found him guilty of misuse the office of chief minister to protect his party money lender Dilip Sananda .in phase of agitation today hundred of farm widows and vidarbha cotton farmers joined one day dharna agitation in Pandharkawada( yavatmal0 in 150 kilometr south of Nagpur

Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti today in meeting strongly flays remark on Indian prime minister Dr.Manmohan Singh advising judiciary to exercise restraint in the wake of Supreme Court Justice A.K. Ganguly describing as “shameless” the continuance in the Union Cabinet of Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Rural Development Minister, even after being hauled up by the apex court for directing the police to go soft on a Congress MLA in Maharashtra, who was also a moneylender and against whom police had received complaints.

‘Hundreds of Vidarbha Farmers and farm widows staged one day hunger strike on 8^th February and it is decleared that they will start indefinite hunger strike from 16^th February to press the demand of sacking union minister of vilasrao deshmukh who was protecting congress MLAs working as in the money lenders in dying field of vidarbha known farm suicide capital of country.

The comments of Indian prime minister over the remark of Supreme Court judge Justice A K Ganguly has strongly who criticised the government for the continuation of Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh as a Union Cabinet Minister despite the Supreme Court holding him guilty of obstructing the course of justice during his tenure as Maharashtra Chief Minister and described the action of the government as shameless.

This is very serious a man responsible of mass genocide of more than 8,000 cotton farmers of vidarbha should be rewarded and promoted even after apex held him guilty ,this is unfortunate and just rubbing salt to wounds of farmers widows and family members who lost bread earner due debt ,we will continue till the concerned minister is sacked and booked under the charges of homicide .we will intencify the stir if our demand is ignored. ’kishore tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti ,farmers lobbing group working for the rights of cotton farmers and welfare of farm widows informed in protest rally today.

Supreme Court judge Justice A K Ganguly has strongly criticised the government for the continuation of Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh as a Union Cabinet Minister despite the Supreme Court holding him guilty of obstructing the course of justice during his tenure as Maharastra Chief Minister.Justice Ganguly described the action of the government as shameless.

A bench comprising Justices G S Shingvi and Ganguly in December last year had severely reprimanded Mr Deshmukh for telling the authorities not to register a case against the father of an MLA who was harassing a farmer for not repaying the loan he had taken from the father of the MLA, who is in money lending business.

The apex court had also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on the state government while dismissing the appeal of the state government against the order of Bombay High Court.Former Attorney General Soli J Sorbjee has backed Justice Ganguly, while senior counsel K T S Tulsi has said the judges should speak only through their judgement and should not make any comments against individuals outside the court.The petition was filed in Bombay High Court by Buldhana district farmers Sarnagdharsingh Chavan and Vijay Singh Chavan alleging that the police had refused to register a police case against a Congress MLA Dilipkumar Sananda's father Gokulchand Sananda, a private money lender.Justice Ganguly had made the remarks while addressing lawyers at a two-day conference in Mumbai on "Gender concern in conflict zone".

‘If senior minister who failed to protect the common man and misused his constitutional powers then SC judgment should be taken as law of land and it was expected the centre will sack him but instate he was promoted that is much more irritating it’s is sign of anarchy being prevailed in the UPA-II and if this is continued revolt of common is imminent is near future. vidarbha farmers will force the UPA Govt . to step down if they are so insensitive .’Tiwari urged in meeting said .

Vidarbha farmers to lunch stir for ‘sacking Union Minister Vilasrao Deshamukh ’ after supreme court termed act of promoting him as 'SHAMELESS'

Vidarbha farmers to lunch stir for ‘sacking Union Minister Vilasrao Deshamukh ’ after supreme court reprimanded and termed act of promoting him as ‘shemeless’

Nagpur-7^th February 2011

Vidarbha farmers and farm widows has strongly flays remark on Indian prime minister Dr.Manmohan Singh advising judiciary to exercise restraint in the wake of Supreme Court Justice A.K. Ganguly describing as “shameless” the continuance in the Union Cabinet of Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Rural Development Minister, even after being hauled up by the apex court for directing the police to go soft on a Congress MLA in Maharashtra, who was also a moneylender and against whom police had received complaints.

‘Hundreds of Vidarbha Farmers and farm widows will stage one day hunger strike tomorrow on 8^th February and will start indefinite hunger strike from 16^th February to press the demand of sacking union minister of vilasrao deshmukh who was protecting congress MLAs working as in the money lenders in dying field of vidarbha known farm suicide capital of country.

the comments of Indian prime minister over the remark of Supreme Court judge Justice A K Ganguly has strongly who criticized the government for the continuation of Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh as a Union Cabinet Minister despite the Supreme Court holding him guilty of obstructing the course of justice during his tenure as Maharashtra Chief Minister and described the action of the government as shameless.

This is very serious a man responsible of mass genocide of more than 8,000 cotton farmers of vidarbha should be rewarded and promoted even after apex held him guilty ,this is unfortunate and just rubbing salt to wounds of farmers widows and family members who lost bread earner due debt ,we will continue till the concerned minister is sacked and booked under the charges of homicide .we will intensify the stir if our demand is ignored. ’kishore tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti ,farmers lobbing group working for the rights of cotton farmers and welfare of farm widows informed in press note.

Earlier in a conference in Mumbai yesterday on "Gender concern in conflict zone".two days back Supreme Court judge Justice A K Ganguly was shocked over UPA action of promoting the Vilasrao Deshamukh as rural minister and termed it ‘shameless act’ ,here is report

QUOTE

SC describes continuation of Deshmukh as Union Minister "shameless"

http://netindian.in/news/2011/02/06/00010725/sc-describes-continuation-deshmukh-union-minister-shameless

Supreme Court judge Justice A K Ganguly has strongly criticised the government for the continuation of Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh as a Union Cabinet Minister despite the Supreme Court holding him guilty of obstructing the course of justice during his tenure as Maharastra Chief Minister.Justice Ganguly yesterday described the action of the government as shameless.

A bench comprising Justices G S Shingvi and Ganguly in December last year had severely reprimanded Mr Deshmukh for telling the authorities not to register a case against the father of an MLA who was harassing a farmer for not repaying the loan he had taken from the father of the MLA, who is in money lending business.

The apex court had also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on the state government while dismissing the appeal of the state government against the order of Bombay High Court.Former Attorney General Soli J Sorbjee has backed Justice Ganguly, while senior counsel K T S Tulsi has said the judges should speak only through their judgement and should not make any comments against individuals outside the court.The petition was filed in Bombay High Court by Buldhana district farmers Sarnagdharsingh Chavan and Vijay Singh Chavan alleging that the police had refused to register a police case against a Congress MLA Dilipkumar Sananda's father Gokulchand Sananda, a private money lender.Justice Ganguly had made the remarks while addressing lawyers at a two-day conference in Mumbai yesterday on "Gender concern in conflict zone".

\UNQUOTE

‘If senior minister who failed to protect the common man and misused his constitutional powers then SC judgment should be taken as law of land and it was expected the centre will sack him but instate he was promoted that is much more irritating it’s is sign of anarchy being prevailed in the UPA-II and if this is continued revolt of common is imminent is near future. vidarbha farmers will force the UPA Govt . to step down if they are so insensitive .’Tiwari said .

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Three more Vidarbha farmers suicides reported on Eve visit of Indian Prez., Maharashtra Governor ,Union Agri. Minister and Chief Minister.

On Eve visit of Indian Prez., Maharashtra Governor ,Union Agri. Minister and Chief Minister Three more farmers suicides reported taking tall 55 in 2011

Nagpur-5^TH Feb, 2011

Early sign of aggravating the ‘vidarbha agrarian crisis’ is imminent as three more farmers suicides reported in a day on the eve of maiden visit of Indian President Smt. Pratibhatai Patil ,Mahrashtra Governor Shankaran Along With Union Agri.Minister Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiraj Chavan is visiting vidarbha to attend various function in Nagpur on 5^th and 6^th feb. taking tall to 55 in the year 2011 .

Three recent victim of vidarbha agrarian crisis are

1.Jyoti Lajurkar of Tiwasa in Amaravati

2.Prakash Jadhav of Dapora in Akola

3.Shridhar Dhekane of Kinhi-Jawade in Yavatmal

This year excessive rain in October- November then unseen cold wave and chilly weather damaged the standing crop and ruined the cotton farmers of the region resulting 700 farmers suicides since June in the kharrif year 2010-11 of which seven farmers suicides being reported in last 72 hours,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today

‘Even cotton prices started climbing back to new level of 6000 to 6200 a quintal after but there is negligible cotton arrival and now all instiutes and association who wre claiming called bumper crop of cotton India has broght down production estimate by 30% even area under cotton cultivation in India cross 110 lacs hector and 42 lacs hector in Maharashtra from of 375 lacs to 250 lacs and 75 lacs to 52lacs bales in India and Maharashtra respectively reflects that average yield of Bt.cotton is less than 400kg /acare resulting average losses to the tune of Rs.5000/- per acre that the matter of mounting debt and distress hence cotton crop losses in most serious issue that has to be addressed by the centre and state ’ Tiwari said.

‘if vidarbha agrarian crisis are not addressed that will lead another spiral of farm suicides to restart hence we are expecting intervention Indian prez. to stop this mass genocide of innocent farmers who are victims of wrong policies promoted by state as in dry land area rain sensitive crop like Bt.cotton is being cultivated in more than 95% causing huge financial losses to the cotton farmers and water crisis in the area. We have been demanding the ban on rain sensitive crop in this region and promotion of food crop in all rain fed area of vidarbha since 2004 but nobody is giving any attention to this serious demand resulting more and more farm suicides in the region’ VJAS stressed in press release today.