Cabinet okays Rs 69 hike in paddy MSP

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday raised the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy by Rs 69 per quintal to Rs 2,369 per quintal for the 2025–26 kharif marketing season.

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told mediapersons after the meeting that the increase in the MSP of the kharif crops would ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce.

The support price for 'common' and 'A grade' varieties of paddy has been increased by Rs 69 each to Rs 2,369 per quintal and Rs 2,389 per quintal, respectively.

Among other cereals, the support price of ragi has been raised by Rs 596 to Rs 4,886 per quintal, jowar by Rs 328 to Rs 3,699 per quintal (hybrid) and Rs 3,749 per quintal (Maldandi), maize by Rs 175 to Rs 2,400 per quintal and bajra by Rs 150 to Rs 2,775 per quintal for 2025-26.

The highest absolute increase in the MSP over the previous year has been recommended for nigerseed (Rs 820 per quintal) followed by ragi (Rs 596 per quintal), cotton (Rs 589 per quintal) and sesamum (Rs 579 per quintal).

The support price for tur has been increased by Rs 450 to Rs 8,000 per quintal, urad by Rs 400 to Rs 7,400 per quintal and moong by Rs 86 to Rs 8,768 per quintal.

The increase in the MSP is in line with the Union Budget-2018-19 announcement of fixing the support price at a level of at least 1.5 times of the all-India weighted average cost of production.

The expected margin to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of bajra (63 per cent), followed by maize (59 per cent), tur (59 per cent) and urad (53 per cent).

For the rest of the crops, margin to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at 50 per cent, official sources said. (With PTI inputs)