CHANDIGARH: Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Tuesday said 'arthiya' commission on cotton will be reduced from 2.5 per cent to 1 per cent for the benefit of farmers.

Dhaliwal said as in the case of paddy and wheat where expenses on cleaning, filling, weighing and transporting the crops are involved, there are no such expenses in the case of cotton in grain markets.

He further said the government has already reduced market fee on cotton from 2 per cent to 0.5 per cent in the interest of the cotton farmers.

Dhaliwal on Tuesday held a meeting with representatives of the Punjab Cotton Factories and Ginners Association and heard their problems, according to an official release.

The association brought to the notice of the Agriculture Minister that for the last few years, the cotton crop has been facing various diseases and the farmers of the cotton belt have shifted from cotton to paddy crop.

They further said many cotton factories in the state are on the brink of closure or some have even closed due to losses. They urged the minister to take some decisions to encourage cotton crop in the state.

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