30 September,2026 06:08 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Centre increases MSP for rabi crops. Representational Image. File pic.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday increased the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for the six rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season, with safflower getting the highest, while wheat receiving the lowest MSP, reported news agency ANI.
The decision, taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the cabinet briefing.
This comes amid reports of El Nino impacting the rabi crop and foodgrain output in the country.
The Centre offered a substantially higher support to oilseeds and lentils, with safflower receiving the highest increase of Rs 675 per quintal, followed by rapeseed and mustard at Rs 413 and lentil, or masur, at Rs 390 per quintal.
However, it raised the support price for wheat by just Rs 25 per quintal, while the MSP barley was increased by Rs 136 per quintal and gram by Rs 83.
According to the revised prices, wheat MSP will rise to Rs 2,610 per quintal from Rs 2,585 for the previous marketing season. Barley will rise to Rs 2,286, gram to Rs 5,958, lentil to Rs 7,390, rapeseed and mustard to Rs 6,613 and safflower to Rs 7,215 per quintal.
The government has been promoting the cultivation of crops, other than cereals such as pulses and oilseeds by offering a higher MSP for these crops. MSP acts as a government-announced floor price for notified crops.
"The increase in MSP for mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2027-28 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of Production," Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said in a statement.
"The expected margin over All-India weighted average cost of production is 106 percent for wheat, followed by 96 percent for rapeseed and mustard; 92 per cent for lentil; 59 per cent for gram; 58 percent for barley; and 50 percent for safflower. This increased MSP of rabi crops will ensure remunerative prices to the farmers and incentivise crop diversification," it added.
The wheat procurement during 2014-15 to 2025-26 stood at 3,715 lakh metric tonnes, compared with 2,254 lakh metric tonnes during 2004-05 to 2013-14.
Procurement across six rabi crops rose to 3,921 lakh metric tonnes during 2014-15 to 2025-26 from 2,302 lakh metric tonnes in the preceding comparable period.
The MSP amount paid to Wheat growing famers during 2014-15 to 2025-26 has increased to Rs 7.31 lakh crore as compared to Rs.2.56 lakh crore during 2004-05 to 2013-14. The MSP amount paid to six Rabi crops growing farmers during 2014-15 to 2025-26 has increased to Rs 8.36 lakh crore as compared to Rs 2.65 lakh crore during 2004-05 to 2013-14.
(With inputs from ANI)
