It gives me great pleasure to know that the Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation has created its Web Site in tune with this new age of electronics and advance telecommunications, which is going to become a vital part of all business activities.

Cotton is the main cash crop of our country. India contributes 15% of the world's cotton production. Maharashtra alone accounts for over 20% of the country's total cotton production, which is the highest amongnst all cotton producing states in the country. The Government of Maharashtra has been implementing the cotton monopoly procurement scheme for the past 27 years, to give fair remunerative prices to the cotton-growers. The scheme also aims at supplying unadulterated cotton at reasonable prices, removing deficiencies in the marketing system and doing away with intermediaries.

I hope, the Website will contain detailed information about the Scheme and prove to be a useful link for national and international contacts.

I wish all the best to the MSCCGMF in their new endeavour.