Punjab farmers ‘disappointed’ by Rs 160 wheat MSP hike

The minimum support price (MSP) of wheat (Rs 2,585 per quintal) announced by the Centre on Wednesday has disappointed the flood-hit farmers in Punjab. This is the first time in over five decades that the price of wheat has been increased by Rs 160 per quintal.

Farmers were hoping that the Centre would compensate them for the losses suffered by them by announcing a much higher MSP for the next crop. Farmers in six districts of the state have incurred huge losses after the floods ravaged their standing paddy and cotton crops. “The cost of farming is increasing, but the government price of wheat is not increasing accordingly. Farmers have to use more diesel this year for operating disc harrow tractors for removing silt. I am shocked that even in this hour, the Centre had not increased the MSP taking into account the higher input costs,” said BKU (Ugrahan) senior leader Shingara Singh Mann.

Kirti Kisan Union senior leader Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala said the increase in wheat prices was a joke on farmers who had lost their crops due to the recent floods.