Centre's Diwali gift for farmers: MSP for six crops hiked

New Delhi, Oct 18: In what could be considered as a Diwali gift to the farmers, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday hiked the minimum support price for wheat by Rs 110 to Rs 2,125 per quintal and mustard by Rs 400 to Rs 5,450 per quintal for the current crop year with an aim to boost production and income of the farmers.

"Government has increased the MSP of Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce. The absolute highest increase in MSP has been approved for lentil (Masur) at Rs.500/- per quintal followed by rapeseed and mustard at Rs.400/- per quintal. For safflower, an increase of Rs.209/- per quintal has been approved. For wheat, gram and barley an increase of Rs.110/- per quintal, Rs.100 per quintal respectively has been approved," a statement from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) said.

The decision to increase the MSPs (minimum support prices) was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

MSP is the rate at which the government buys grain from farmers. Currently, the government fixes MSPs for 23 crops grown in both Kharif and rabi seasons.

Sowing of rabi (winter) crops begins in October, immediately after the harvest of kharif (summer) crops. Wheat and mustard are major rabi crops.

According to an official release, the CCEA has approved an increase in MSPs for six rabi crops for the 2022-23 crop year (July-June) and the 2023-24 marketing season.

Wheat MSP has been increased by Rs 110 to Rs 2,125 per quintal for this crop year from Rs 2,015 per quintal in the 2021-22 crop year.

The cost of production of wheat is estimated at Rs 1,065 per quintal, the release said.