Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh chaired a high-level meeting on 2nd September 2025 in New Delhi to review the preparedness for Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations for the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season 2025–26. The session was attended by senior officials, including Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles), Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Lalit Kumar Gupta, CMD of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), and representatives from the Ministry and CCI.
Singh reiterated the government’s firm commitment to ensuring that all eligible cotton produce arriving under MSP norms is procured without disruption. He emphasized a farmer-centric approach focused on timely service, transparency, and fair pricing. The minister also underlined the government’s broader goal of digitally transforming India’s cotton ecosystem for greater efficiency and accountability.
In a major first, uniform norms have been introduced for setting up procurement centres. These norms consider vital parameters such as the extent of cotton cultivation, availability of operational APMC yards, and the presence of at least one stock processing facility. As a result, a record 550 procurement centres are being set up across key cotton-producing states—an unprecedented move to ensure wider and more efficient coverage.
The MSP procurement operations are scheduled to begin on a staggered basis: from 1st October in the northern states, 15th October in central states, and 21st October in southern states.
Aligned with the Digital India mission, this season's cotton procurement will be entirely faceless and paperless. From farmer registration to final payment, the entire process will be digitized. Payments will be made directly to farmers’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts via the National Automated Clearing House (NACH). The SMS-based payment alert system, introduced last season, will also continue.
A major digital innovation this season is the launch of the ‘Kapas-Kisaan’ mobile app, allowing nationwide Aadhaar-based self-registration of farmers and 7-day rolling slot booking. This platform aims to streamline operations and significantly reduce wait times at procurement centres.
To further improve on-ground implementation, Local Monitoring Committees (LMCs) will be established at each APMC mandi to provide immediate grievance redressal. In addition, dedicated state helplines and a central CCI helpline will operate throughout the procurement period to assist farmers. The Ministry assured that all necessary infrastructure, manpower, and logistical arrangements will be completed ahead of the season’s start to ensure smooth and effective MSP operations.
