Govt. to lift ban on cotton exports

New Delhi, Mar 11 (ANI): Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday informed the government has decided to lift the ban on cotton exports.

"Well, the matter of cotton export has been discussed. The Group of Ministers had also met. Earlier, the Members of Parliament from Gujarat had met the Prime Minister. And today our senior Member of Parliament Ahmed Patel, the Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly CLP leader Shakti Singh Gohel, PCC President Arjun Modhwadia, they met and discussed keeping in view the facts, the interest of the farmers', the interest of the industry and trade," said Sharma.

"A balanced view has been considered by the Group of Ministers to roll back the ban and a formal order will be made public tomorrow by the government," he added.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had earlier on March 7 ordered a review of the decision to ban cotton exports.

Earlier, the commerce ministry had issued a ban on the export of cotton evoking an opposing response from Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

Pawar had said that such a decision could impact lakhs of farmers in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, who are already in great distress as traders have stopped buying cotton from them after this decision.

He said such a step should have been taken after proper consultations either in the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs or Cabinet Committee on Prices. (ANI)