The two states together account for almost 35 per cent of India’s wheat production and contributed over 70 per cent to the total procurement done for the central pool in the rabi marketing season (2023-24).
Documents accessed by The Indian Express under the Right to Information Act 2005 show that several departments wrote to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, flagging concerns.
The Indian government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat by Rs 150 to Rs 2,275 per quintal for the 2024-25 marketing season, the highest increase since 2014. The MSP for other rabi crops including gram, barley, lentil, rapeseed-mustard seed, and safflower has also been raised. The decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The MSPs for other rabi crops barley, gram, lentil (masur), rapeseed & mustard, and safflower have been increased in the range of 2.65 per cent to 7.08 per cent.
At least nine states had written to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in April and May, before the Cabinet meeting in June, requesting it to reconsider the proposal and hike the MSP, show documents accessed by The Indian Express under the RTI Act.