Soybean Procurement Deadline Extended To January 31
Soybean Procurement Deadline Extended To January 31
Mumbai: In a significant move to support farmers, the Union Minister for Agriculture, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has approved an extension for soybean procurement until January 31. This decision follows a request made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, aimed at providing relief to farmers facing challenges after the procurement deadline ended on January 6.
With the original deadline expired, traders had stopped purchasing soybeans, leaving farmers in a difficult situation. To address this, Chief Minister Fadnavis reached out to the central government, leading to the extension. This decision offers considerable relief to farmers, and Fadnavis expressed his gratitude to Minister Chouhan for the prompt response.
In addition to the procurement extension, the Chief Minister took stock of the Marketing Department’s work plan during a review meeting at Sahyadri Guest House. The meeting covered the department’s progress over the next 100 days and also included instructions for the establishment of permanent infrastructure to facilitate seamless soybean procurement in the future. Fadnavis emphasized the need for continuous efforts to support farmers, including plans to set up ‘Agro Hubs’ along the Samruddhi Expressway and under the ‘Magnet’ project, ensuring that all necessary facilities are available.
Further instructions provided by the Chief Minister include:
- Completing farmer registration for soybean procurement by October of the upcoming year.
- Establishing clear criteria for permanent procurement systems.
- Ensuring the new system incorporates all necessary facilities for smooth operations.
- Proposing agro-logistics hubs across all four divisions in the state.
- Increasing the number of seed processing units to enhance procurement capacity.
