Congress Demands Answers on Soybean MSP Crisis

The Congress has launched a scathing attack on the central and Maharashtra state governments for failing to deliver on their promise to increase the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for soybeans to Rs 6,000 per quintal. The party's state spokesperson, Sachin Sawant, accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of neglecting farmers' interests.

According to Sawant, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had previously led a farmers' march in 2013 demanding this MSP hike while he was in the opposition. Currently, the central government's announced support price stands at Rs 5,328 per quintal, leaving farmers to incur losses as they sell at Rs 3,500 per quintal in open markets.

Sawant criticized the delayed functioning of MSP procurement centers and an administrative overhaul that inefficiently distributes authority for their allocation. The Congress leader urged the government to prioritize urgent relief to farmers amidst crop damage, accusing the BJP of prioritizing electoral gains over farmers' essential needs.