Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar would discuss cotton MSP issue in the next scheduled meeting of ministry with the Prime Minister. He said that it is the duty of the government to intervene if prices fall below the minimum support price (MSP) set by the government. He was speaking in the sidelines of an International Potato Conference, held in the capital.

Cotton industry has been apposing the hike in MSP for the current season. Prices in the domestic market are much higher than the prevailing prices in the international market, causing huge losses to the industry. Traders and millers prefer to import cotton as domestic prices of cotton in terms of MSP are very high.

Meanwhile, industry is not satisfied with the stimulus package announced by the union government to boost economy and said that very little is done to help the textile industry. It is recalled that the government has allotted Rs 1,400 crore to clear the textile sector backlog under the Textiles Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS), besides comprising handcrafts under the 'Vishesh Krishi & Gram Udyog Yojana'.
 
Mr. Sharad Pawar hoped that the matter of MSP would be solved very soon. He said that MSP for wheat may be revised in the next cabinet meeting.