BATHINDA, Oct. 1 -- The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), a central agency, will start purchasing the produce on minimum support price (MSP) at 14 locations in five districts of the semi-arid region from Wednesday onwards. Bathinda and Muktsar will have a maximum of four centres each, with three in Mansa, while Fazilka will have centres. CCI will open one mandi in Barnala.

CCI only enters the market when the private buyers pay less than the MSP. According to the Punjab Mandi Board data, around 30,000 quintals of cotton had arrived across the south Malwa districts till Tuesday.

Stakeholders said that with the advent of the CCI, the cotton prices may stabilise as the farmers are being paid Rs.6,800-7,000 per quintal, which is Rs.1,000-1,...