The price trap: Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, Madhya Pradesh's high-wire act

From promised MSPs to manipulated markets, the state's soybean farmers walk a delicate tightrope of risk, loss, and hope

 

Soybean farmers in Madhya Pradesh are increasingly anxious.

 

Market rates for the main kharif crop have dropped by almost ₹400–500 per quintal over the past 10–15 days.

 

This fall, coming just weeks ahead of the new harvest season, is partly blamed on rising imports. But a large section of farmers suspect the decline is linked to the relaunch of the controversial Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (BBY), or Price Deficiency Payment scheme.

 

Although the scheme was announced last week for soybeans, farmers allege that traders may have had a whiff of the move.

 

State Chief Minister (CM) Mohan Yadav said the