M A I N   N E W S

Centre hikes wheat MSP by Rs 50 a quintal
Tribune News Service

More bonanza The govt also announced the support prices of Rabi crops. The highest increase was in masur, which will now have the MSP of Rs 3,075 per quintal, up by Rs 125 over last year. MSP for barley will be Rs 1,150 per quintal, an increase of Rs 50 over last year; gram Rs 3,175 per quintal, an increase of Rs 75 over last year

New Delhi, October 29
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today approved Rs 50 hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat, taking it up to Rs 1,450 a quintal for the crop year 2015-16.

The government also announced the support prices of other Rabi crops.

The highest increase was witnessed in masur — which will now fetch farmers MSP of Rs 3,075 per quintal, up by Rs 125 over last year. Government officials said this was done to encourage farmers to grow lentils and reduce the country’s dependence on its imports. Interestingly, however, it remains to be seen how BJP’s NDA partner Akali Dal reacts to the Rs 50 hike in wheat as exactly a year back it had described the UPA government similar decision (Rs 50 increase) “marginal and laughable”.

Last year, after the Congress-led UPA announced the Rs 50 hike in wheat taking up the wheat MSP to Rs 1,400 per quintal from Rs 1,350 a quintal a year back, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called it “the cruelest joke of decade”. He said the wheat MSP of Rs 1,400 per quintal did not even cover the cost of production and was much below the expectations of the farmers

Meanwhile, the MSP for other Rabi Crops of 2014-15 season to be marketed in 2015-16 is as follows. Barley Rs 1,150 per quintal — an increase of Rs 50 over last year; gram Rs 3,175 per quintal — an increase of Rs 75 over last year; masur Rs 3,075 per quintal — an increase of Rs 125 over last year: rapeseed/mustard Rs 3,100 — a hike of Rs 50 over last year and safflower Rs 3,050 per quintal — an increase of Rs 50 over last year.