New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of 14 kharif crops for the marketing season 2025-26 with the objective of ensuring profitable value of their produce to farmers.
The highest increase in MSP has been made for Nizzarsid (Rs 820 per quintal) as compared to last year, followed by ragi (Rs 596 per quintal), cotton (Rs 589 per quintal) and sesame (Rs 579 per quintal).
The increase in MSP for Kharif crops for 2025-26 marketing season is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement, in which the MSP has been announced to decide at a level of at least 1.5 times the All India weighty average production cost.
Farmers are estimated to be the highest in terms of margin millet (63 percent) expected at their production costs, followed by maize (59 percent), tur (59 percent) and urad (53 percent).
The statement said that farmers are estimated to be 50 percent on their production costs for the remaining crops.
Total costs include all payments such as workers, bull labor/machine labor, rent paid for leased land, seeds, fertilizers, fertilizers, irrigation fees, depreciation on tools and agricultural buildings, depreciation on working capital, diesel/electricity, other expenditure and estimated price for family labor for operating capital, pump set etc.
In recent years, the government is promoting high MSPs for these crops and promoting crops other than grains, such as pulses and oilseeds, and nutritious grains/Shri food cultivation.
Paddy procurement was 7,608 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) during the period of FY 2014-15 to 2024-25, while paddy procurement during the period 2004-05 to 2013-14 was 4,590 LMT.
The MSP amount given to paddy producing farmers between 2014-15 to 2024-25 was Rs 14.16 lakh crore, while the amount given to farmers during the period 2004-05 to 2013-14 was Rs 4.44 lakh crore.
During the period of 2014-15 to 2024-25, the purchase of 14 kharif crops was 7,871 LMT, while the purchase was 4,679 LMT during the period 2004-05 to 2013-14.
The purchase of 14 kharif crops between 2014-15 and 2024-25 was Rs 16.35 lakh crore, while the MSP amount given to farmers during the period 2004-05 to 2013-14 was Rs 4.75 lakh crore.
-IANS
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