MSP hike for rabi crops a joke, says Rakesh Tikait

Karnal (Haryana) [India], September 8 (ANI): Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said the increase in the minimum support prices of Rabi crops announced by the Centre today was "a joke played on farmers."

Taking to Twitter, Tikait wrote, "The minimum support price announced for Rabi crops is a joke with the farmers. Inflation is rising but compared to that the rate of MSP hike for farmers is very less. This hike is less than that of last year's. The government should tell us which formula it has used?

Tikait also posted a table titled "Did the MSP for Rabi crops really increase?" detaling the prices of the six rabi crops for the last year and this agricultural year. Traditionally sowing of Rabi crops begins from October after the end of harvesting of Kharif crops. The rabi crops are harvested in April/May.

The Union Cabinet today announced the minimum support price for six rabi crops for the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2022-23. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"MSP on six crops for Rabi season was decided today. It has increased by 100 per cent for wheat, mustard for 2022-23- Rs 2015 and Rs 5050 respectively. For barley, it's gone up to Rs 1635; Rs 5230 quintal for chana and Rs 5500 for masoor dal," Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said earlier today.

"The rate of the Safflower was 5,327 in 2021-22 and now it increases by 50 per cent and with Rs 5,441," the agriculture minister said while interacting with reporters.

MSP is the rate at which the government buys grain from farmers.

The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has been recommended for Lentil (Masur) and Rapeseeds and Mustard (Rs 400 per quintal each) followed by gram (Rs 130 per quintal). In case of safflower, there has been an increase of Rs 114 per quintal, in comparison to last year. The differential remuneration is aimed at encouraging crop diversification.

According to CCEA, the increase in MSP is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the all-India weighted average cost of production, aiming a reasonably fair remuneration for the fanners.

Earlier today, Tomar in an interaction with mediapersons hit back at those propagating 'misinformation' about minimum support price.

"Some people are trying to spread misinformation that MSP (Minimum Support Price) will be stopped. On the contrary, the rate of MSP and procurement of crops on MSP are increasing continuously after the implementation of farm laws," the minister said.

Farmers have been protesting the government's three farm laws since had passed the Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.(ANI)