October 2, 2025

The government has just given a big cheer to farmers by raising the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat by a sharp 6.59 per cent! Now, wheat MSP stands at Rs 2,585 per quintal for the 2026-27 marketing year, up from Rs 2,425 last year. This exciting news came straight from a Cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw briefed the media, revealing MSP hikes for six rabi crops based on expert advice from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The price hike isn’t just for wheat; it covers other important crops too, aiming to give farmers better earnings and inspire them to try different crops. Here’s the MSP party rundown: safflower tops with a whopping Rs 600 per quintal jump! Lentil (masur) follows with an increase of Rs 300. Rapeseed and mustard MSP went up by Rs 250, gram by Rs 225, barley by Rs 170, and wheat itself rose by Rs 160 per quintal. The barley MSP is now Rs 2,150, up from Rs 1,980. In pulse news, gram's MSP reached Rs 5,875 from Rs 5,650, and lentil climbed to Rs 7,000 from Rs 6,700. For oilseeds, rapeseed and mustard MSP increased to Rs 6,200 from Rs 5,950, and safflower hit Rs 6,540 from Rs 5,940. What’s the big idea behind all these hikes? The government wants to ensure farmers get good money for their produce and encourage crop diversification. The MSP hike matches the Union Budget 2018-19 promise to set MSP at least 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production. The expected profit margins are big: wheat at 109%, rapeseed and mustard at 93%, lentil 89%, gram 59%, barley 58%, and safflower 50% over the cost price. Remember, wheat is the hero of the rabi (winter) season, with sowing starting in late October and harvest from March onwards. The marketing year begins in April. Other rabi stars include jowar, barley, gram, and lentil. Farmers can also smile at the government’s ambitious wheat production target of 119 million tonnes for the 2025-26 crop year, a step up from the estimated 117.5 million tonnes for 2024-25. All in all, these exciting MSP hikes could mean a brighter, more profitable rabi season for Indian farmers!

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Tags: Minimum support price, Wheat msp, Rabi crops, Farmers, Crop diversification, Government policy,