Soybean Farming in Maharashtra Takes a Hit Amidst Low Profits

Mumbai, May 25 (PTI) – Maharashtra farmers are expected to plant less soybean this year due to disappointing profits from last season’s harvest. Officials from the agriculture department anticipate a drop of two lakh hectares in soybean cultivation, down from 52 lakh hectares in 2023 to 50 lakh hectares in 2024.

Several factors have contributed to this decline. Farmers complain that the government’s reluctance to purchase all the soybean crop, combined with the import of soybean cake as animal feed, has suppressed prices. Last year, soybean prices hovered between Rs 3900 and Rs 4400 per quintal, significantly lower than the government’s announced minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 4892 per quintal.

Shrinivas Kadlag, a farmer from Ahilyanagar, highlighted the challenges farmers face. ‘The government can’t buy the entire soybean crop, and traders take advantage of this,’ he said. ‘This discourages farmers from planting soybean.’ He also pointed to the influence of poultry farmers, who he claims exert pressure to keep soybean prices low by importing soybean-based fodder.

Manik Kadam, a leader of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, echoed these concerns. ‘Soybean is crucial to farmers in Marathwada, just like sugarcane is to western Maharashtra,’ he said. ‘However, the government’s decisions on importing soybean and related products cause fluctuations in domestic prices, harming farmers.’

Despite the projected decline, officials from the state agriculture department have assured farmers that adequate supplies of seeds and fertilizers are available. Maharashtra has received a total fertilizer quota of 46.82 lakh metric tonnes, with 25.57 lakh tonnes currently in stock.

The government has also set a target of 204.21 lakh tonnes for food grain and oilseed production this season and is working to ensure a steady supply of high-quality inputs. Sunil Borkar, Director of Quality Control, stated, ‘There are ample seed reserves for key crops, including soybean, rice, tur, moong, and urad. Seed samples will be inspected to maintain quality standards.’