Agriculture: Centre hikes MSP for kharif paddy by Rs.72 to Rs.1,940

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday raised the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy marginally by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 1,940 per quintal for the 2021-22 crop year, while the rates of some other Kharif crops were also hiked.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It will help farmers take a call on which Kharif (summer) crop to grow as sowing picks with the spread of the Southwest monsoon, which hit Mumbai on Wednesday three days ahead of the forecast.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar dispelled apprehensions about MSP saying, “the MSP (on-farm crops) is there, it is being hiked and will continue in future as well”. Apprehensions about the MSP were one of the key issues raised by the farmers during their agitation in recent months.

Paddy or rice is the main Kharif crop, the sowing of which begins with the onset of the Southwest monsoon. The India Meteorology Department has projected a normal monsoon for the June-September period.

According to fresh decisions, the Cabinet has approved an increase in the MSP of paddy (common variety) to Rs 1,940 per quintal for the 2021-22 crop year (July-June) from Rs 1,868 per quintal last year.

Similarly, the MSP of bajra (millet) has been increased to Rs 2,250 per quintal for the current year from Rs 2,150 per quintal last year, he said.

(VP)