(vii)Need to open more purchase centres of C. E. I. In Adilabad district Andhra Pradesh.

[English]

SHRI A INDRAKARAN REDDY (Adilabad) : Adilabad district in Andhra Pradesh is known for cotton growing area and Majority of the farmers who are tribals-and Scheduled Castes depends on cotton cultivation.

The cotton seed being provided to the farmers are of defective quality with the result that the growers are put to loss. The purchase centres run by Cotton Corporation of India for purchase of cotton from the growers are very less as compared to the area of cotton production. Because of this, the middleman and the traders are exploiting the cotton growers who are pressurised to make distress sale to the middlemen.

There fore, I request the Central Government to pay special attention in the matter for opening more purchase centres in Adilabad district for cotton and to ensure supply of quality cotton seeds to the growers.