Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu has welcomed the Central Government’s decision to raise the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 14 Kharif crops for the 2026-27 marketing season, calling it a major step toward strengthening farmers’ income and the rural economy.
He said the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflects the government’s continued commitment to farmer welfare and agricultural development.
Sandhu noted that along with the MSP hike, the government has ensured uninterrupted fertilizer supply during the crucial sowing season and has also prevented any price rise in fertilizers despite global tensions, including the ongoing West Asia crisis. He said these timely interventions have protected Indian farmers from global supply disruptions and rising input costs.
Highlighting the impact in Punjab, he said crops like paddy, moong, maize, jowar and bajra—widely grown in the state—will benefit significantly from the revised MSP. He added that higher returns on crops like moong, bajra, maize and tur are expected to encourage farmers to diversify from cereals towards pulses, oilseeds and nutri-cereals.
Sandhu further pointed out that MSPs have seen a consistent upward trend since 2013–14, with significant increases in crops like ragi, sunflower, jowar and cotton. He said the latest revision continues this trend, with paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, moong and cotton all witnessing higher support prices compared to previous years.
He added that the government’s policy of ensuring MSP at least 1.5 times the cost of production is being effectively implemented, guaranteeing farmers a minimum return of 50% over the average production cost. He also emphasized that stronger procurement systems and timely payments have increased farmers’ participation across states, ensuring that MSP benefits reach the ground level.
