Guntur | A massive cotton procurement scam has rocked Andhra Pradesh, involving officials of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and several ginning mill owners. Serious allegations of collusion have surfaced across multiple centres in Guntur, NTR, and Palnadu districts—including Bapatla, Jaggayyapeta, Sattenapalli, and Ibrahimpatnam—where large-scale irregularities were reported in the cotton purchase process. Complaints have reached not only the Union Textile Ministry but also the CCI headquarters and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Sources indicate that the matter is now likely to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a full-fledged probe.
How the Scam Worked: Low-Grade Cotton Passed Off as ‘Premium’
According to sources, several ginning mill owners appointed by the CCI began preparing massive cotton stocks even before the official procurement process from farmers had started. These mill owners allegedly purchased wet and low-quality cotton from farmers at cheap rates, and with the help of corrupt CCI officials, passed it off as premium-grade produce during supply to the corporation.
Quality checks were deliberately overlooked, allowing poor-quality cotton to enter government warehouses. As a result, the CCI suffered losses worth several crores, while farmers were left with minimal returns for their hard work.
Insiders’ Role Under the Scanner
Investigations have revealed that the fraud was not limited to private ginners alone. Several CCI officials were directly involved, allegedly assuring the ginners that their substandard cotton would be certified as high-grade in exchange for monetary benefits. This collusion meant that farmers could not receive fair prices and were compelled to sell their produce to middlemen at throwaway rates.
Whistleblowers and Farmer Groups Expose the Racket
The scandal came to light after whistleblowers and farmer associations filed detailed complaints to the Textile Ministry and the CCI headquarters. They alleged large-scale manipulation in purchase records, weighing documents, and quality certificates. Following these reports, the ministry has sought a detailed explanation from CCI, and preliminary findings suggest that the case could soon be referred to the CBI.
Multi-Crore Loss and Senior-Level Involvement Suspected
Officials close to the matter said the scam could run into tens of crores of rupees, with not just local officers but also senior officials possibly involved. The scandal has raised serious questions about CCI’s credibility, particularly since the corporation was created to safeguard farmers’ interests through Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations.
Farmers Outraged, Demand Strict Action
The revelations have triggered widespread anger among cotton farmers across Andhra Pradesh. Farmer unions have demanded criminal action against the guilty officials and mill owners, as well as compensation for the losses suffered by producers. “The very institution meant to protect farmers’ livelihoods has become a hub of corruption,” a farmers’ leader said.
History of Irregularities, Yet Little Action
This is not the first time that CCI officials have faced allegations of irregularities. Similar cases of quality manipulation and financial fraud have been reported in the past. Some incidents were even probed by the CBI, but the lack of strict disciplinary action allowed the same practices to continue unchecked.
CBI Inquiry Could Uncover the Full Extent
Now that the issue has reached the central agencies, a comprehensive CBI probe is expected to scrutinize purchase records, warehouse inventories, and financial transactions in depth. Experts believe that if the allegations are proven true, the case could turn out to be one of India’s largest agricultural procurement scams in recent history.
