Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Approves Soybean MSP Increase, Awaits Centre's Nod

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet has approved a proposal to buy soybean crops at a minimum support price (MSP) from farmers. This decision comes as the opposition Congress launches its Kisan Nyay Yatra in the state. The proposal will now be sent to the Centre for approval.

Earlier, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan mentioned that the Centre had already approved soybean MSP proposals from three states, including Maharashtra. He assured that Madhya Pradesh's proposal would be prioritised.

State Government's Proposal

Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya revealed that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav proposed increasing the MSP for soybean to Rs 4,800 per quintal. The cabinet approved this proposal, but later clarified that the MSP would be Rs 4,892 per quintal.

Vijayvargiya noted that despite good soybean production in the state, farmers were not receiving remunerative prices. The current price stands at Rs 4,000 per quintal. The proposal aims to address this issue by ensuring better prices for farmers.

Centre's Commitment

Chouhan reiterated the Centre's commitment to purchasing soybean at MSP. He stated that Maharashtra and Karnataka had already received permission under the Centre's price support scheme (PSS). "We are in contact with the Madhya Pradesh government. There are two schemes under which the state government can purchase soybean. We will grant the permission immediately," Chouhan said.

The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister emphasised that providing fair prices to farmers is a priority for the Narendra Modi government.

Congress' Kisan Nyay Yatra

Meanwhile, state Congress president Jitu Patwari initiated the Kisan Nyay Yatra from Mandsaur district. This protest is against the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for not fulfilling promises made to farmers. Patwari criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not enacting a law to ensure MSP as promised.

"Shivraj ji as CM earlier lied to the people of Madhya Pradesh on farm issues, and he is now doing the same with people of the country as Union Agriculture Minister," Patwari alleged while speaking to reporters in Mandsaur.

Last month, some farmers in Mandsaur destroyed their soybean crops due to dissatisfaction with the prices they were receiving. This act highlighted their frustration over not getting fair prices for their produce.

The state government's move to increase MSP aims to address these grievances and provide better support to farmers struggling with low crop prices.