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Hike in import duty on cotton demanded

The Maharashtra minister for state for excise and NCP leader, Mr Anil Deshmukh has urged the Centre to hike import duty on cotton to curb its imports and to push procurement of local produce. The Centre should enhance the import duty from 10 to 60 per cent to discourage import of cotton which will ultimately help the local cotton growers as their produce will be in demand and get a good price, Mr Deshmukh said.

He alleged that the leader of opposition in state legislative council and senior BJP leader, Mr Nitin Gadkari was misleading the cotton growers over the cotton price. The state government has conceded the demand of paying Rs 2,500 per quintal to cotton this year because of an internal pressure mounted by ruling party legislators. Meanwhile, the Shetkari Sanghatana leader Mr Vijay Jawandhia said that the BJP-led government at the Centre should declare support price of cotton to the tune of Rs 2,700 per quintal.

It is within the purview of the Centre, he said and demanded that Mr Gadkari should take up the issue with his party leaders in Delhi.

In another development, the Vidarbha Rajya Party has taken strong exception to the chief minister Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde’s remarks that there will be an additional burden of Rs 900 crore on the state exchequer due to hiked cotton price.