MP Cabinet Approves Proposal to Provide MSP for Soybean

Bhopal: With the opposition Congress kicking off its 'Kisan Nyay Yatra' in Madhya Pradesh , the state cabinet on Tuesday cleared a proposal to purchase soybean crop at a minimum support price (MSP) from farmers and sent it to the Centre for approval.

Earlier in the day, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Centre has already cleared proposals on soybean MSP of three states, including Maharashtra , and will take up Madhya Pradesh 's proposal on priority.

Talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said Chief Minister Mohan Yadav proposed an increase in the MSP for soybean to Rs 4,800 per quintal, and the cabinet approved it.

The state government, however, later clarified that the MSP for soybean was Rs 4,892 per quintal.

The state has seen good production of soybean, but farmers have not been getting its remunerative price, Vijayvargiya said, adding current price was at Rs 4,000 per quintal.

The proposal would be sent to the Centre for approval, the minister said.

Chouhan, speaking to reporters earlier in the day, said the Centre was committed to purchase soybean at MSP.

He said three states, including Maharashtra and Karnataka, had demanded the purchase of soybean at MSP, and they were granted 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.

It is the Narendra Modi government's priority to provide right price to farmers for their crops, insisted the former Madhya Pradesh CM.

Meanwhile, state Congress president Jitu Patwari kicked off the Kisan Nyay Yatra from Mandsaur district to protest against the state's BJP government for not "fulfilling" promises made to farmers.

Talking to reporters at Mandsaur, Patwari said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to bring a law to ensure MSP, but he has not done so yet.

"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)," the Congress leader alleged.

Last month, a couple of farmers in Mandsaur destroyed their soybean crops, saying they were not getting a fair price for their produce. 

With PTI Inputs