NEW DELHI: After a delay of two months, the Centre has started soybean procurement in poll-bound Maharashtra. The move has come as a respite to the ruling MayaYuti that will seek to pacify the anger of soybean farmers ahead of the polls.
Over two lakh soybean farmers have been waiting in Maharashtra to sell their crop to government agencies at MSP. The price of soybean crops has crashed to 10-year low as the harvest of crops sets in. The government has increased MSP of soybean in the 2024-25 kharif season to Rs 4892/quintal, but the market price is ranged between Rs 3500 and Rs 4700.
According to data, the government on Monday procured over 4000 quintals of soybean in Maharashtra out of 34,000 in the country.
On delayed procurement, Samuel Praveen Kumar, joint secretary at the ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, said soybean produce was below quality standards. “I have visited the fields of Maharashtra and found that farmers are bringing produce with 18% of moisture content instead of the set limit of 12%,” said Kumar.
A Maharashtra-based farmer leader and former MP Raju Shetty disapproved of the government’s argument. “If moisture is a problem, then why are private parties buying it?” asked Shetty. He alleged that the government delayed procurement to benfit private parties.