<span style="color: #222222;">Private companies in Punjab have started purchasing cotton way above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) fixed by the government for this season. While Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) – the government authorised agency for cotton procurement – is purchasing the produce between 5,665 and 5,725 rupees per quintal, private players have started buying it for 5,900 rupees per quintal.<br />'' <br />'' Private players include cotton traders and cotton factories from different parts of Punjab. Cotton farmers of the state are now selling their produce to private companies, relegating the government agency – CCI to the background. A CCI Punjab official said, private players are buying cotton at a much higher price than MSP due to increased demand and higher price of cotton in the international market.</span><br />''