Maharashtra recorded highest soybean procurement at MSP, says Minister Jaykumar Rawal

Maharashtra Minister Jaykumar Rawal said the procured soybeans have been stored in 345 warehouses of the Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation, as well as 252 private warehouses under rental agreements.

Maharashtra has outpaced all other states in terms of soybean procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), according to state Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal. As on February 6, a total of 5,11,657 farmers have sold 11,21,385 metric tonnes (MT) of soybean, the minister stated.

The procured soybeans have been stored in 345 warehouses of the Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation, as well as 252 private warehouses under rental agreements, he further informed, adding that owing to the significant quantity of soybean purchased this season, the storage capacity of these warehouses has been completely utilised.

The Central government has declared the MSP for soybean for the 2024-25 season at Rs 4,892 per quintal, which is Rs 292 more than last year's MSP. The procurement process was carried out through six state-level nodal agencies under the central agencies, NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India). A total of 562 procurement centres, 403 operated by NAFED and 159 by NCCF, were set up to facilitate this process.

The online farmer registration for soybean procurement began on October 1, 2024, while the physical procurement started on October 15, 2024. In accordance with the Central government's guidelines, the initial 90-day procurement period was set to end on January 12. However, considering the farmer registration numbers, the procurement deadline was extended with the approval of the Central government, first until January 31, and then again until Thursday, the Marketing Department said.

Maharashtra Agricultural Commission chief urges large-scale tree planting to combat global warming

Pasha Patel, the Chairman of Maharashtra State Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, on Friday called for large-scale tree planting to reduce carbon emissions and maintain ecological balance. He also proposed that individuals who fail to plant saplings be denied firewood for the cremation of their family members, news agency PTI reported.

Patel made these comments during the inauguration of the third state-level agriculture exhibition, Krishi Navnirman 2025, which is began on Friday. It will conclude on February 11.

"With temperatures rising alarmingly across the country, the cooling effect of nature is fading, and the only way to curb this heat is by reducing the use of iron and electricity. To combat global warming, people must plant bamboo and other trees, and those who fail to do so should be denied firewood for their funerals. This demand will be made to the government," Patel stated.

He highlighted the role of excessive electricity use and coal burning in significantly contributing to global warming. "Electricity demand is doubling every year, leading to a surge in coal consumption, which further escalates temperatures," he noted.

(With PTI inputs)