Telangana seeks Centre's help on soybean, maize procurement; demands to relax cotton norms

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) 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.

"This significant price gap is causing distress to farmers and increasing pressure from the field for procurement at MSP," Rao said.

The estimated procurement requirement is 8.66 lakh tonnes, with financial implications of approximately Rs 2,400 crore, which would be a substantial burden on the state exchequer if undertaken solely by the state.

"I earnestly request the Government of India to accord permission to NAFED, as the central nodal agency, to undertake procurement of 8.66 lakh tonnes of maize at MSP under the central pool in Telangana," he said.

In a separate letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, Rao said the cotton marketing season 2025-26 has commenced in Telangana from mid-October. The Centre has fixed the MSP for cotton at Rs 8,110 per quintal, reflecting an increase of Rs 589 per quintal over the previous season.

While a marginal decline in overall cotton production is anticipated this year, current market trends indicate downward movement in global cotton prices. The total area under cotton cultivation in Telangana stands at 45.32 lakh acres, with an estimated production of 28.29 lakh metric tonnes.

During October and November, the moisture content in kapas (seed cotton) generally ranges between 12 per cent and 20 per cent due to prevailing weather conditions.

However, Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) officials are presently procuring cotton only with moisture content between 8 and 12 per cent, as per existing norms.

Farmers have complained that this restriction is causing hardship in obtaining MSP for their produce and have requested enhancement of the permissible moisture limit.

"I request your kind intervention to consider allowing procurement of cotton with moisture content up to 20 per cent, so as to ensure that farmers receive the benefit of MSP for their produce," Rao said, seeking instructions to CCI authorities for smooth implementation of MSP operations in Telangana. PTI LUX LUX BAL BAL