"It has been decided to buy cotton, soybeans with 15 per cent moisture": Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

Nadurbar (Maharashtra) [India], November 17 (ANI): Ahead of the assembly polls, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Sunday that it has been decided to buy cotton and soybeans with 15 per cent moisture following his recent discussion with Union agriculture Minister.

CM Shinde also said that women are satisfied with the Ladki Behan Yojana.

"I have recently had a discussion with the Union Agriculture Minister on the issues faced by cotton and soybean farmers. It has been decided to immediately give MSP to the farmers. It has also been decided to buy cotton and soybeans with 15 per cent moisture. MSP of soybean is currently at Rs 1892 per quintal, cotton Rs 7121, and dry cotton Rs 7529...," CM Shinde told reporters here.

"All the government schemes have had a positive impact in Maharashtra. Women are happy with the Ladki Behan Yojana and other schemes, so I think that the government of Mahayuti will be formed," CM Shinde added.

Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday addressed the media and spoke on additional Rs 5,000 hectares in the bank accounts of soyabean and cotton cultivators.

"Soyabean and cotton cultivators are being given an additional Rs 5,000 hectare in their accounts. The import duty on edible oils from Malaysia and Indonesia has also been effectively increased to 27.5 per cent so that the oil mills in the domestic markets purchase soyabeans from the domestic farmers and pay them the right price to benefit them. The moisture content in the soyabeans during the procurement has also been increased from 12 percent to 15 percent," he added.

The Union Minister also spoke about the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana. The Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana is a program in which the government compensates farmers for the difference between MSP and rate at which the farmers sell their crops, which is relatively higher.

"One of our schemes is the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana. It depends on the government on how whether they want to directly buy supplies or use the MSP and deposit the money in the farmers account. In the second scheme, the ICAR will determine the model rate for crops like potatoes, onions and tomatoes and give a 50 percent profit on the production cost. This will help the farmers not face losses when retail costs are lower. Another scheme is for the transportation costs. So our scheme says that the government will brunt the transportation costs that the farmers earlier used to pay," he said.

Soybean, a key cash crop, is primarily grown ahead of Diwali, as it provides farmers with immediate liquidity during the festive season. The Vidarbha and Marathwada regions are particularly significant for soybean cultivationNotably, Maharashtra, which is going to the Assembly polls on November 20, is a key grower of soybeans.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42. (ANI)