The Samyukt Kisan Morcha demands immediate withdrawal of the August 19 notification nullifying the 11% import duty on cotton; enhancement of cotton MSP and complete loan waiver
NEW DELHI — The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a joint platform of farmers organisations, on Wednesday accused the Union government of “systematic betrayal” of farmers after it scrapped the 11% import duty on cotton last month. The farmers say the decision will devastate the livelihoods of nearly 60 lakh cotton-growing families across the country.
The SKM demanded immediate withdrawal of the August 19 notification nullifying the 11% import duty on cotton; enhancement of cotton MSP to ₹10,075 per quintal; complete loan waiver; and ₹25 lakh compensation to families of peasant suicide victims.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SKM urged the Centre to withdraw the notification allowing zero-duty cotton imports, restore import tariffs up to 50%, and declare a remunerative Minimum Support Price of ₹10,075 per quintal based on the C2+50% formula recommended by the MS Swaminathan Commission.
Exposing hypocrisy, the farmers reminded the prime minister of his recent public commitments. “On August 7, you vowed that India would never compromise on the well-being of farmers. On August 15, you said you would ‘stand like a wall’ for farmers. Yet, within four days, your government opened the floodgates for duty-free cotton imports, surrendering to US corporate interests,” the letter stated.
The SKM warned that the duty removal will crash domestic cotton prices, pushing farmers deeper into distress. “Cotton prices are already falling, while the cost of production has soared due to cuts in fertilizer subsidy worth ₹87,339 crore,” the letter said. Farmers also accused the government of favouring corporates, pointing to ₹26 lakh crore in corporate loan write-offs since 2016, while farmers received “not a single rupee” in loan waiver.
Citing official data, the letter said 31 farmers die by suicide every day in the country, with 767 farmer suicides reported in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region in the first three months of 2025 alone. The SKM has demanded a special relief package for families of suicide victims, including ₹25 lakh compensation, complete debt waiver, and educational support for children.
The farmers slammed the Centre for failing to give a legal guarantee of MSP at C2+50%, as promised during previous agitations. The current MSP for medium staple cotton is ₹7,121 per quintal, while the C2+50% price should be ₹10,075, the letter said, estimating an annual farmer loss of over ₹12,000 crore.
“On an average, a cotton farmer lost ₹31,500 per acre in 2024-25. PM Kisan’s ₹6,000 is a joke when compared to these losses,” the SKM remarked.
15-Point Charter of Demands
The open letter lists 15 non-negotiable demands, including:
• Immediate withdrawal of zero-duty cotton import notification.
• MSP of ₹10,075/quintal with legal guarantee.
• Complete debt waiver for cotton farmers.
• ₹25 lakh compensation for suicide-hit families, and
• Strengthening APMCs and rejecting Free Trade Agreements that allow zero-duty imports.
The SKM also warned the government against “succumbing to imperialist US pressures” and vowed to continue protests if demands are ignored.
“Lakhs of farmers sacrificed their lives for India’s freedom. We will not allow this government to compromise India’s sovereignty and farmers’ rights,” the letter said.
