Maharashtra CM Fadnavis Urges Farmers To Avoid Selling Produce Below Fair Price

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has advised farmers not to sell their produce for less than the fair market price, announcing that the government will set up cotton and soybean procurement centers from 30 October.

Speaking to the media in Mumbai yesterday (24 October) after visiting a natural farming conference at Raj Bhavan, Fadnavis emphasised that farmers should only sell to traders who provide fair market pricing.

"We shall buy everyone's produce at these procurement centres. If the trader is purchasing at the fair market price, only then sell it to them," he said.

The Chief Minister announced at the natural farming conference that the government has decided to bring natural farming on 25 lakh hectares in Maharashtra.

He identified natural farming as the most effective solution to the catastrophic effects of climate change on agriculture, noting that it is more sustainable and environmentally beneficial than organic farming.

The conference, attended by Governor Acharya Devvrat, was a key step toward improving the state's agricultural landscape through environmentally friendly approaches.

The state govt undertook the Natural Farming Mission in 2014, but at the time, both natural and organic farming were implemented together.

"There was no distinction between natural and organic farming methods. However, by 2023, following the guidance of governor Acharya Devvrat, the state govt has resolved to bring 25 lakh hectares under natural farming in Maharashtra," he said.

The Chief Minister emphasised that rising production costs are still the root cause of farmers' issues, and natural farming provides the best solution by allowing farmers to use nature's resources for fertilisers, pest control, and nutrients.

He stated that chemical fertilisers and pesticides increase toxins in food and contribute to disease, whereas food produced through natural farming is healthier.

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