New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 25 per quintal increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat, taking it to Rs 2,610 per quintal for the 2027-28 rabi marketing year, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday.
The MSP for wheat for the 2026-27 marketing year (April-March) was fixed at Rs 2,585 per quintal.
The agriculture ministry’s proposal on MSP for wheat and other five rabi crops was cleared at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The production cost of wheat is Rs 1,264 per quintal, but MSP has been kept more than double at Rs 2,610 per quintal for 2027-28,” Vaishnaw told reporters.
Barley MSP has been increased to Rs 2,286 per quintal for the 2027-28 rabi marketing year from Rs 2,150 per quintal in 2026-27.
Among pulses, the support price of gram has been increased by Rs 83 to Rs 5,958 per quintal from Rs 5,875 per quintal, while masur MSP was hiked by Rs 390 to Rs 7,390 per quintal in the said period.
In the case of oilseeds, the support price of rapeseed/mustard seed has been increased by Rs 413 to Rs 6,613 per quintal from Rs 6,200 per quintal, while the safflower rate has been raised by Rs 675 to Rs 7,215 per quintal from Rs 6,540 per quintal in the previous year.
Total payout to farmers is estimated to be Rs 90,962 crore for 324 lakh tonnes in the 2027-28 marketing year, the minister added.
Based on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), the agriculture ministry had proposed the MSP for all six rabi crop factoring in the cost of production, El Nino concerns, and global and domestic price trends.
The agriculture ministry has set a wheat production target of 121 million tonnes for the 2026-27 crop year (July-June).
Wheat is the main rabi (winter) crop. Sowing usually begins in October, and harvesting starts in April. PTI
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