Centre positive on increasing support prices of soybean, cotton: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said the Centre was positive on increasing minimum support prices of agriculture products like soybean, cotton and granting permission for their export. Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolio, asserted the central and Maharashtra governments will take a strict stance on preventing frauds and ensuring farmers receive appropriate compensation from crop insurance companies. "Due to the state's goal of large-scale solar energy production, farmers' agricultural pumps would receive daytime electricity," he said. Pawar said a delegation of state ministers will call on the Centre to seek support prices and export permission for soybean and cotton.

The deputy CM was speaking at a meeting with farmer representatives in Mantralaya (state secretariat) in south Mumbai. The stance of both the state and central governments was that farmers should get adequate compensation for damage to their crops. The Centre has expressed its willingness to increase the minimum support price (MSP) for soybean and cotton, and to permit their export, he told the gathering. A proposal to increase the MSP for sugarcane was under consideration.

To prevent farmers from becoming victims of frauds by insurance firms, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken a strict stance, and its positive effects will soon be seen, Pawar emphasised. With the state targeting production of 11,500 megawatts of solar energy, the path for agricultural pumps to receive daytime electricity will be cleared, said the finance minister. Obstacles preventing eligible beneficiaries under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Scheme from receiving debt waiver benefits will be removed by September-end. A delegation of state ministers will meet with central marketing, cooperation, and agriculture ministers to address farmers' demands and pending issues, Pawar informed the meeting.

The central government has decided not to impose a ban on onion exports, he said. The process to transfer funds to eligible loan accounts under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme, which faced technical issues at the bank level, is in its final stage, Pawar said. Those farmers who received lesser amounts due to incorrect information from the bank are being reviewed, and the full payments will be transferred to their accounts.

Discussions have taken place with the central agriculture minister regarding crop insurance, he emphasised. Talks with representatives from insurance companies will be held to reach a farmer-friendly solution. Surveys are being conducted for damage caused by heavy rains to crops and farmland during the kharif season this year, said the deputy CM. "Every effort is being made to ensure no affected farmer is left without assistance," Pawar insisted.

Discussions will be held with Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Chouhan regarding pending agricultural subsidies, minimum support prices for agricultural products and other related issues, Pawar told the gathering. The process of distributing subsidies for farm wells, drip and sprinkler irrigation, fruit orchards, and irrigation was underway, he said.