Farmers! Your kharif crop this year will be sold 1.5 times price hiked; Modi govt knows true value of your sweat and soil

NewsBharati    04-Jul-2018
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New Delhi, July 4: PM Modi’s dream to double the nation’s farmer income by 2022 is getting its shape as today’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs took a decision that is to increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all kharif crops for 2018-19 Season.


 

The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved this increment making million farmers’ face happy.

PM Modi, extremely happily in his tweet said that I am having the utmost pleasure to say that the farmer brothers – sisters who were promised to give the MSP 1.5 times of the cost have been fulfilled today. The increment in the minimum support value of crops this time is historic. Greetings to all the farmer brothers-sisters.

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has recommended MSPs for all kharif crops broadly in line with the announced principle.

The Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all kharif crops of the 2018-19 season have been increased as follows:

 
 

 

 

If we have a look at the increments made we will come to know that the increase in the MSPs of Nigerseed at Rs.1827 per quintal, moong by Rs.1400 per quintal, sunflower seed by Rs.1288 per quintal and cotton by Rs. 130 per quintal is unprecedented.

Amongst cereals and nutri cereals, in terms of absolute increase, MSP of paddy (common) has been raised by Rs 200 per quintal, jowar (hybrid) by Rs 730 per quintal and ragi by Rs 997 per quintal. The highest percentage increase in MSP over the previous year is for ragi (52.47 %) followed by jowar hybrid (42.94%). For pulses, apart from Moong, MSP of arhar (tur) has been raised by Rs 225 per quintal yielding a return over cost by 65.36 percent and urad by Rs 200 per quintal with a return over cost by 62.89 percent in order to maintain inter-crop-price parity. Similarly, the MSP of Bajra has been raised by Rs.525 per quintal yielding a return of 96.97 percent over cost.

Promoting cultivation of pulses can help India overcome nutrition insecurity, improve soil fertility by nitrogen fixation and provide income support to farmers. Thus, increased MSPs for pulses will give a price signal to farmers to increase acreage. Further enhanced MSPs would boost production of oilseeds and encourage investment in its productivity and help reduce India's import bill. Increase in MSPs of nutri-cereals will improve nutritional security and allow farmers to get higher prices.

 

Food Corporation of India (FCI) and other designated State Agencies would continue to provide price support to the farmers in the case of cereals including Nutri-cereals. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED), FCI, Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) and other designated Central Agencies would continue to undertake procurement of pulses and oilseeds. Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) will be the central nodal agency for undertaking price support operations for Cotton.