BJP disappointed over 'marginal' hike in MSP for wheat

BJP today expressed disappointment over "marginal" increase in minimum support price for wheat by the government and said the Farmers' Commission recommendation that it should be 50% of the cost of crop production be adopted.

"BJP is disappointed with the government decision to increase MSP for wheat only marginally. This is an anti-farmer move of the government as it has increased the MSP by only Rs 50 when the cost of production has gone up by Rs 200 per year," party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

In its meeting yesterday, the Cabinet had increased the MSP for wheat from Rs 1350 to Rs 1400.

BJP said the cost of production was above Rs 1400 in the last season.

"BJP demands that MSP should be calculated as per Farmers' Commission recommendations. The Commission has set the formula that MSP should be 50% above the cost of production.

"Such MSP would be the real remunerative price for farmers. The Congress-led government is continuously denying justice to farmers," Javadekar said.

The party demanded that MSP be hiked to 50% of the cost of production immediately.

"If the farming community gets justice, the agriculture labour also gets justice and the whole rural economy looks up. But with such a demotivating MSP, food security will be in doldrums," Javadekar said.