Delhi/Indore. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said on Wednesday that the government will buy soybean in Madhya Pradesh at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 4,892 per quintal. However, dissatisfied with this announcement, farmer organizations reiterated the demand that the government should buy this oilseed crop at the rate of Rs 6,000 per quintal in the country’s largest soybean producing state. Angry farmers have been agitating for a long time due to soybean prices falling below MSP in the state.
Agriculture Minister Chauhan told reporters in Delhi, “Farmers of Madhya Pradesh are worried about getting a price lower than the MSP for soybean. We received a proposal from the Madhya Pradesh government to buy soybean on Tuesday night. We have approved it.” He said that soybean will be purchased in Madhya Pradesh at MSP. Chauhan said that earlier the Center has allowed soybean purchase at MSP in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The MSP of soybean (yellow) has been fixed at Rs 4,892 per quintal for 2024-25. This oilseed will be procured under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the organizations involved in the United Kisan Morcha have reiterated the demand that the government should buy soybean at the rate of Rs 6,000 per quintal in Madhya Pradesh. These organizations claim that if the price of soybean is less than this, then the cultivation of this oilseed will prove to be a loss-making deal for the farmers.
Ranjit Kisanvanshi, state media in-charge of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, said, “We have been demanding for a long time through the movement that government purchase of soybean should be ensured at the rate of Rs 6,000 per quintal in the state. We do not accept a price lower than this for soybean, so our movement will continue in the state.” He said that on September 13 (Friday) a big farmer rally will be held in Harda district of the state on the issue of soybean in which farmer leaders from all over the state will gather.