New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today chair the union cabinet meeting at 10:30 am at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, sources told ABP News. As per the sources, a decision on the Minimum Support Price of wheat and other Rabi crops is likely to be taken in the meeting. Currently, the MSP for wheat is fixed at Rupees 2,015 per quintal.
The MSP on wheat was revised last year when the Centre had increased the price by Rupees 40 and fixed it at Rupees 2,015 per quintal. The decision back then had come at a time when the farmers were protesting against the three agricultural laws at the Delhi borders.
Along with wheat, the MSP on mustard was also increased by Rs 400 to Rs 5,050 per quintal.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved an increase in MSP for six rabi crops for crop years 2021-22 (July-June) and 2022-23 marketing sessions. The support price of barley was increased by Rs 35 fixing the price at Rupees 1,635 per quintal for the crop year 2021-22 from Rs 1,600 per quintal the previous year.
The MSP for gram pulse was increased by Rs 130 to Rs 5,230 per quintal, while MSP for masoor had been increased by Rs 400 to Rs 5,500 per quintal from the earlier rate Rs 5,100 last year. The government had also increased the MSP of mustard for the crop year 2021-22 by Rs 400 to Rs 5,050 per quintal from Rs 4,650 per quintal in the previous year. Sunflower MSP was also increased from Rs 5,327 per quintal earlier to Rs 114 to Rs 5,441 per quintal.
Minimum Support Price is the rate at which the government procures grains from farmers. At present, the government fixes MSP for 23 crops grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons. Sowing of rabi (winter) crops begins from October immediately after harvesting of Kharif (summer) crops. Wheat and mustard are the major rabi crops.