Cabinet approves MSP for Rabi crops, Rs 150 hike in wheat MSP

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) of six major Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2025-26 in the range of Rs 130 to 300 per quintal.

The MSP of wheat has been raised by Rs 150, from Rs 2275 per quintal to Rs 2425 per quintal. The MSP of gram has been increased by Rs 210, and the MSP of mustard by Rs 300. Now, the MSP of gram will be Rs 5650 per quintal, and the MSP of mustard will be Rs 5950 per quintal. For the upcoming Rabi season, the government has increased the MSP of crops by 2.41 to 7.03 percent.

Providing details of the cabinet's decisions, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that MSP of barley has been increased from Rs 1850 to Rs 1980, the MSP of lentil from Rs 6425 to Rs 6700, and the MSP of safflower from Rs 5800 to Rs 5940 per quintal. He noted that the increase in MSP for Rabi Crops is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times the All-India weighted average Cost of Production. 

In terms of percentage, the MSP of wheat raised by 6.59 percent. The highest increase of 7.03 percent has been made in the MSP of barley, while the lowest increase of 2.41 percent has been for the MSP of safflower. "This increased MSP of rabi crops will ensure remunerative prices to the farmers and incentivise crop diversification," the minister added.

The expected margin over the All-India weighted average cost of production is 105 percent for wheat, followed by 98 percent for rapeseed & mustard; 89 per cent for lentil; 60 per cent for gram; 60 percent for the barley; and 50 percent for safflower. 

The increase of Rs 150 per quintal in the wheat support price is important before the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. In the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had to face the anger of farmers in Maharashtra on the issue of onions.