Rice and wheat corner bulk of the procurement kitty, shows data

The least hikes in percentage terms was reserved for paddy which is the main foodgrain crop grown during the kharif season

The Union Cabinet earlier this week raised the minimum support price (MSP) for the kharif crops that would be marketed in the 2025-26 crop year, starting in July. In percentage terms, the least hike was reserved for paddy, which is the main food grain crop grown in the kharif season.   MSP increases were relatively higher than paddy for pulses and oilseeds, which were in line with the Centre’s long-standing and stated policy of encouraging farmers to switch from water-guzzling and environmentally-unfriendly paddy to more suitable pulses and oilseeds. 

However, the data shows that when it comes to procurement —which is a sort of marketing assurance for farmers — cereals far outnumber pulses and oilseeds. In the case of wheat and paddy, procurement as a percentage of marketable surplus is significantly more than pulses and oilseeds.  Though procurement of pulses and oilseeds at MSP has gone up significantly in the past few years, more needs to be done to push the switch from grains. Also, input pricing needs to be market-oriented to ensure a level playing field for farmers.