After Maharashtra and Karnataka, the central government has approved Soyabean procurement in Madhya Pradesh at minimumm support price (MSP). On Tuesday, the Madhya Pradesh government sent a proposal to the central government, which has now been approved. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the approval on Wednesday, acknowledging the distress of farmers due to Soyabean prices falling below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). He assured that government procurement will commence shortly, providing much-needed relief to the farmers.
Recently, Soyabean prices in the state had dropped to 10-years lows, ranging between Rs 3500 to Rs 4000 per quintal. Prices have slightly improved to Rs 4000-4500 per quintal but remain below the MSP of Rs 4892 set for the upcoming Kharif season (2024-25)
Chouhan emphasized that agriculture and farmer welfare are top priorities for the government. Earlier, states like Maharashtra and Karnataka were allowed to procure Soyabean at MSP, and now Madhya Pradesh's proposal has also been approved. Farmers in the state will receive the full price for their hard work.
Farmers across the state have also launched social media campaigns against the declining Soyabean prices. From 1 to 7 September, various farmer organizations, under Samyukta Kisan Morcha Madhya Pradesh, submitted memorandums demanding the Soyabean price be set at Rs 6,000 per quintal.