Several MPs from the Maha Vikas Aghadi staged a protest on Parliament premises on Tuesday, demanding an increase in the limit for soybean purchases. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, among others, participated in the demonstration.
The MPs were heard chanting slogans such as, “Soyabean khareed ki samay seema badhayi jaaye” (Increase the time limit for soybean purchases).
Earlier this year, in January, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had instructed the state marketing department to establish a permanent mechanism for soybean procurement to ensure a smooth and hassle-free process. This initiative was intended to support farmers and stabilize the soybean market.
Fadnavis emphasized the need to set up an agro hub along the Samriddhi Highway under the Magnet Project and directed that preparations for the soybean procurement, which begins in November, should be completed in advance. He also instructed that farmer registrations be finalized by October.
“The system should include all necessary facilities to ensure soybean procurement continues smoothly. A proposal for an agro-logistics hub should be submitted for each of the state’s four divisions. The Onion Chawl is a suitable option for onion storage,” Fadnavis stated.
Soybean, a kharif crop, is typically harvested in October-November, depending on its maturity. Maharashtra plays a crucial role in soybean production, and the state government, through procurement agencies like NAFED and NCCF, buys various agricultural commodities at an assured Minimum Support Price (MSP).