On Wednesday, the Centre approved higher Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all six mandated Rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season with the highest hike announced for oilseeds and pulses.
Safflower registered the biggest absolute gain of Rs 675 a quintal, as its MSP was boosted to Rs 7,215. The price of rapsede and mustard was hiked by Rs 413 per quintal to Rs 6,613 per quintal MSP. The hikes have been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The price of lentil or masur was raised by Rs 390 per quintal to Rs 7,390. The MSP of barley was raised by Rs 136 to Rs 2,286 per quintal and that of gram by Rs 83 to Rs 5,958 per quintal.
Wheat was getting the least raise at Rs 25 per quintal, with the MSP rising from Rs 2,585 to Rs 2,610. Wheat still has the highest margin over the all-India weighted average cost of production at 106% despite the relatively smaller increase.
The margins for rapeseed and mustard, lentil, gram, barley and safflower are 96%, 92%, 59%, 58% and 50%, respectively.
The increase in the MSPs are designed to give a remunerative price to the farmers and encourage them to diversify their crop cultivation, especially pulses and oilseeds, the government said. The ruling comes as the government has announced its policy to establish MSPs at a minimum of 1.5 times the weighted average cost of production all over the country.
The latest announcement arrives just as farmers prepare to sow their crops during the rabi season and agriculture authorities have again called for the availability of water and soil moisture to be taken into account when planning crops.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has called upon the states to encourage the cultivation of those crops which consume less water in water-bhooted areas, especially pulses and oilseeds. The government has also emphasised crop diversification as part of its overall agriculture policy.