The Cabinet increased the minimum support prices for rabi crops that are sown just prior to the winter season.
“The hikes will play a big role in improving farmer incomes,” Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said while announcing the cabinet decisions.
Here are the crops for which MSP has been hiked.
- Wheat: Rs 1,925/quintal, up Rs 85/quintal
- Barley: Rs 1,525/quintal, up Rs 85/quintal
- Rapeseed and mustard: Rs 4,425, up Rs 225/quintal
- Gram: Rs 4,875/quintal, up Rs 255/quintal
- Safflower: Rs 5,215/quintal, up Rs 270/quintal
- Lentils: Rs 4,800/quintal, up Rs 325/quintal
The increase has been in line with the principle of fixing the support price at 1.5 times of the all-India weighted average cost of production, as announced in the Union Budget 2018-19, the government statement issued.
Barring barley and masur, the MSP increase for other crops was either lower in percentage terms or largely the same as previous fiscal.
The decision comes two days after the assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, and ahead of Diwali.
Watch the cabinet briefing by Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar: