NEW DELHI: The Central Government on Wednesday approved a hike in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for six mandated Rabi crops for the 2025-26 marketing season, aiming to ensure that farmers receive profitable returns for their produce ahead of the festive season of Diwali.
The government approved a 6.59 per cent increase in the MSP for wheat, setting it at Rs 2,425 per quintal for the 2025-26 Rabi marketing season. The wheat support price is particularly significant with upcoming elections in states such as Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi.
The announcement was made by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw following a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"The major decision taken by the cabinet is related to the welfare of the farmers. Like in Kharif, there is a significant increase in the MSP for rabi crops," Vaishnaw said.
The support price for wheat has been raised to Rs 2,425 per quintal for 2025-26, up from Rs 2,275 per quintal in the previous year, he added.
The most significant increase in MSP was announced for Rapeseed & Mustard, with a rise of Rs 300 per quintal, followed by Lentil (Masur) at Rs 275 per quintal.
The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for several crops has seen a significant increase including Barley, that saw an increase of Rs 130, bringing its new MSP to Rs 1,980. Gram experienced a Rs 210 hike, with its MSP now at Rs 5,650. Safflower's MSP went up by Rs 140, now at Rs 5,940.
The table below shows the MSP for various crops for the 2025-26 and 2024-25 seasons, along with the cost of production and the profit margin over the cost.S. No.
| Crops
| MSP RMS 2025-26
| Cost of Production RMS 2025-26
| Margin over Cost (%)
| MSP RMS 2024-25
| Increase in MSP
|
1
| Wheat
| Rs 2,425
| Rs 1,182
| 105%
| Rs 2,275
| Rs 150
|
2
| Barley
| Rs 1,980
| Rs 1,239
| 60%
| Rs 1,850
| Rs 130
|
3
| Gram
| Rs 5,650
| Rs 3,527
| 60%
| Rs 5,440
| Rs 210
|
4
| Lentil (Masur)
| Rs 6,700
| Rs 3,537
| 89%
| Rs 6,425
| Rs 275
|
5
| Rapeseed & Mustard
| Rs 5,950
| Rs 3,011
| 98%
| Rs 5,650
| Rs 300
|
6
| Safflower
| Rs 5,940
| Rs 3,960
| 50%
| Rs 5,800
| Rs 140
|
The decision to increase the MSP for mandated Rabi Crops for the Marketing Season 2025-26 aligns with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average cost of production.
The anticipated margin over the All-India weighted average cost of production varies among crops, with wheat leading at 105 per cent, followed by rapeseed & mustard at 98 per cent, lentil at 89 per cent, gram and barley both at 60 per cent, and safflower at 50 per cent.
The increased MSP for Rabi crops will guarantee fair prices for farmers and encourage crop diversification, the minister stated.
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