Ahmedabad, Mar 6 (PTI): A delegation of Gujarat Congress is likely to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow to press for immediate lifting of ban on export of cotton.

The Centre yesterday banned the export of cotton amid fears that its prices will shoot up on account of declining production in the current season. The UPA government had allowed export of cotton this year in the larger interest of farmers but they did not get the full advantage of the exemption because of low prices in the international market, Opposition Leader Shaktisinh Gohil said.

"Farmers of Gujarat would be worst affected by the ban on export. The ban announced yesterday has brought down cotton prices in domestic market," he said. Gohil also blamed the Narendra Modi government for compounding the woes of farmers. "Gujarat government levies Value Added Tax (VAT) on fertiliser unlike any other state. Also, farmers get electricity for eight hours only and that too at night," he said.

The opposition leader further said the Maharashtra government had announced a package of Rs 2000 crore for their cotton farmers but there has been no support for Gujarat farmers from the Modi government. Besides Gohil, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Arjun Modhvadia, senior leader Shankarsinh Vaghela along with Ahmed Patel will meet Singh. PTI PB PD NSK.