NEW DELHI, May 13: The Union government on Wednesday approved higher Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for 14 kharif crops for the 2026-27 marketing season, with major increases announced for oilseeds, pulses and cotton to encourage diversified cultivation and reduce dependence on imports.
The decision was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the kharif sowing season, which begins with the arrival of the southwest monsoon in June.
Under the revised rates, the MSP for common paddy has been increased by Rs 72 to Rs 2,441 per quintal, while the A-grade variety will now be procured at Rs 2,461 per quintal.
Among all crops, sunflower seed registered the sharpest absolute rise of Rs 622 per quintal, taking its support price to Rs 8,343. Cotton also witnessed a substantial revision, with the MSP for medium staple cotton fixed at Rs 8,267 per quintal after a hike of Rs 557, while long staple cotton was increased to Rs 8,667 per quintal.
Other oilseed crops also received notable revisions. Nigerseed MSP was raised by Rs 515 to Rs 10,052 per quintal, while sesamum increased by Rs 500 to Rs 10,346. Soyabean prices were enhanced by Rs 380 to Rs 5,708 per quintal and groundnut by Rs 254 to Rs 7,517 per quintal.
In the pulses category, tur (arhar) saw an increase of Rs 450 and will now be procured at Rs 8,450 per quintal. Urad prices were raised by Rs 400 to Rs 8,200 per quintal, while moong registered a marginal increase to Rs 8,780 per quintal.
The government also revised MSPs for coarse cereals. Hybrid jowar has been fixed at Rs 4,023 per quintal and the Maldandi variety at Rs 4,073. Bajra will now fetch Rs 2,900 per quintal, ragi Rs 5,205, and maize Rs 2,410 per quintal.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the revised procurement prices were aimed at ensuring remunerative returns to cultivators and maintaining MSPs at least 50 per cent above production costs across all notified crops.
According to government estimates, profit margins are expected to remain highest for moong at 61 per cent, followed by bajra and maize at 56 per cent each. Tur is projected to provide a margin of 54 per cent, while other crops are expected to deliver returns of around 50 per cent over input costs.
Officials said the total procurement payout to farmers is estimated at nearly Rs 2.60 lakh crore, with annual procurement likely to touch more than 824 lakh tonnes.
Industry representatives welcomed the increased support for oilseed cultivation. Indian Vegetable Oil Producers’ Association president Sudhakar Desai said the higher MSPs would encourage domestic production, but stressed the need for a responsive import duty structure aligned with global market conditions and domestic pricing trends.
The latest MSP revision is expected to influence crop choices during the upcoming sowing season and strengthen the government’s broader strategy of improving self-reliance in edible oils and pulses production.