Telangana Requests Assistance in Procurement of Maize and Soybeans

New Delhi,  Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Wednesday urged the Centre to start procurement of soybean and maize at minimum support price (MSP) in the state, while seeking relaxation of moisture norms for cotton procurement.

In a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Rao said prices of soybean and maize are ruling below the MSP and requested implementation of the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for both crops.

The PSS operates under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) and is implemented by agencies like NAFED and Food Corporation of India, which purchase commodities directly from farmers at MSP when market prices drop.

The state minister said soybean prices are hovering between Rs 3,800 and Rs 4,000 per quintal, well below the MSP of Rs 5,328 per quintal, due to expectations of higher production.

“There is a dire need to procure at least 1,39,711 tonnes of soybean in the interest of the farming community in Telangana,” he added.

Peak arrivals of soybeans are expected from the third week of October, and “timely intervention is crucial to prevent distress sales”, he noted.

Soybean have been sown across 3.66 lakh hectares in Telangana, with production estimated at 2.79 lakh tonnes in the 2025-26 kharif season.

Similarly, maize prices have been declining since the third week of September due to higher crop arrivals. Currently, the market price stands at Rs 1,959 per quintal, Rs 441 below the MSP of Rs 2,400 per quintal. PTI