Soyabean procurement stops in Akola, Amravati; farmers demand extension amid long queues

Akola: The government procurement of soyabean in Akola and Amravati districts was to stop at midnight on Thursday, leaving thousands of farmers in distress. Long queues have formed at procurement centres as farmers rush to sell their produce before the deadline.
NAFED and other government agencies have procured 8.50 lakh quintal soyabean so far, but around a lakh quintal remains unsold with farmers. They are now demanding an extension of the procurement period to sell their remaining stock at the government price.
At government centres, farmers are getting Rs4,892 per quintal, whereas private traders are offering only Rs3,500 per quintal. With government procurement ending, farmers fear that they will be forced to sell their produce at lower prices in the open market, leading to significant losses.
Sources said that farmers in Akola district have produced approximately 9.50 lakh quintals soyabean, and the govt has procured 8.50 lakh quintals so far. The government had set up 25 procurement centres for soyabean. This forced many farmers to travel 30 to 70km to reach the centres, staying overnight with their produce, often sleeping in the open without food or proper shelter. Registration for procurement via SMS had also been halted, adding to the confusion among farmers.
Shridhar Wakhre, director of Palodi Farmer Producer Company, Akola, said, "Our centre will continue procurement until midnight, but the number of farmers waiting is overwhelming. More than a lakh quintal of soyabean is still with farmers, making it impossible to purchase everything before the deadline. If the government extends the procurement period, it would be a great relief for farmers."
The farmers too have demanded that the procurement deadline be extended to allow them to sell the remaining stock at MSP. They are demanding transparency in the procurement process, and reopening the SMS-based registration for farmers.
Now, all eyes are on the government, whether it will extend the deadline or not. The coming days will determine the fate of thousands of soybean growers in the region.