Adilabad, Oct. 20: Tension prevailed at Adilabad Market Committee Yard on the first day of cotton purchase by the government agencies, as angry farmers detained Collector J Sudha Rani, Adilabad MLA Ramachandra Reddy, Joint Collector Durga Das for four hours on Wednesday.

They were upset over the reduction in minimum support price of Rs. 2,010 for cotton, announced earlier by the Cotton Corporation of India. The irate farmers did not allow the Collector, MLA and other officials to go out of the market yard till the issue was settled. On seeing the situation, additional police forces were deployed at the Market Yard to avert any untoward incident.

Hundreds of farmers thronged the Yard as purchases of cotton production started today, but they were disappointed and got angry when CCI officials refused to pay the MSP announced earlier, saying the cotton was of poor quality. The farmers alleged that the CCI officials and the Market Committee were hand in glove with private traders. They demanded that the Collector cancel the licenses issued to private traders.

They relented only after the Collector announced that Rs 2,000 including commission would be given for quintal cotton by the CCI, and Rs 2,010 would be given as MSP for cotton of 31.5 mm staple length.