New Delhi: A day after thousands of protesting farmers clashed with the police on the borders of Delhi, the Union cabinet on Wednesday raised the minimum support prices for the upcoming rabi season 2018-19. Prices for wheat have gone up by Rs 105 per quintal, masur by Rs 225 per quintal, gram by Rs 220 per quintal, barley by Rs 30 per quintal, rapeseed and mustard by Rs 200 per quintal and safflower by Rs 845 per quintal.
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“It will give additional return to the farmers of Rs 62,635 crore by way of increasing MSP of notified crops to at least 50 per cent over the cost of production and will aid in doubling farmers’ income,” the cabinet said in a statement.
Rabi crops are sown around mid-November and harvesting begins in April. The major rabi crop is wheat and most of the procurement that happens at MSP is for wheat.
The MSP of wheat was Rs 1,735 per quintal in the 2017-18 crop year.
The MSP has been increased according to the recommendations of farm advisory body CACP and is in line with the government’s announcement to provide farmers a 50% profit over the cost of production.