Indore, Aug 28 (PTI) Farmers’ organisations in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday claimed that soybean prices in the state have crashed to a ten-year low and the Union government should intervene immediately.
Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmers’ organisations, said in a release here that Madhya Pradesh may lose the title of `soybean state’ if the situation did not improve.
From Rs 4,450-4,725 per quintal last August, the prices have slid to Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000 per quintal, claimed some farmer leaders.
The oil-seed crop is considered “yellow gold” in the state. According to rough estimates, about half the country’s soybean is produced in Madhya Pradesh.
Some farmers’ organizations which are part of the SKM have also launched a campaign on social media over the falling prices, and warned of an agitation.
The government should step in and ensure prices in the range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 per quintal, they said.
The Union Government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of soybean for the marketing season 2024-25 by Rs 292 from Rs 4,600 per quintal during the last season to Rs 4,892 per quintal.
Jasdev Singh, Madhya Pradesh in-charge of Bharatiya Kisan-Naujawan Union, said, “The price farmers are getting today is the same they were getting 10 years ago. In the last decade, the cost of cultivation has increased manifold.” Babloo Jadhav, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Sena, told PTI that farmers are losing interest in the crop due to the falling prices. “In the coming days, Madhya Pradesh may lose the title of `soybean state’ as the crop is being sold below MSP and farmers are now forced to switch to other crops,” he said.
The prices could fall even lower after the arrival of new soybean crop in the markets over the next one month, he added.
Ram Swaroop Mantri, convener of the SKM in Malwa-Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh, told PTI that the price of soybean oil was increasing, but the price of the crop was decreasing.
“This contradiction is due to the wrong policies of the government and unchecked profiteering by traders,” he claimed, and demanded that the government stop “rampant import” of palm oil from foreign countries so that domestic farmers get fair price for their produce.
According to central government data, soybean has been sown over 125.11 lakh hectares in the current Kharif season in the country, an increase of 1.26 lakh hectares over the last Kharif season. PTI HWP ADU KRK
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