NDA doubles MSP, quadruples crop procurement, says Chouhan in Rajya Sabha
NDA doubles MSP, quadruples crop procurement, says Chouhan in Rajya Sabha
In Parliament, Chouhan touts doubled MSP, fourfold procurement under NDA, while opponents press for a legal MSP guarantee and clarity on policy.
In a detailed reply in the Rajya Sabha, the agriculture minister highlighted that the NDA government has not only fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at double the cost of production but has also quadrupled crop procurement compared to the UPA era. The minister noted that the 2019 move to adopt the Swaminathan Commission recommendation of a 50 percent margin over production cost has shaped current MSP levels, contrasting it with the previous administration’s stance. The minister cited specific numbers to illustrate the shift: for Paddy in 2013-14, MSP stood at ₹1,310, while the present rate is ₹2,369 per quintal, and for white millet (jowar), procurement prices rose from ₹1,500 to ₹3,699. He argued that crop production rose even as costs fell, and that procurement now occurs at the right price for farmers, reflecting a four-fold increase in procurement over the ten-year UPA period preceding 2014. The discussion occurred during Question Hour as lawmakers debated whether farmers are seeking a legal guarantee for MSP and whether the government is considering any formal law to enshrine it. While the minister delivered a long answer, opposition members pressed for more concrete assurances on legal guarantees. Proponents of the policy cited higher farmer incomes and improved market access, while critics called for clarity on long-term guarantees and potential impacts on prices and inflation. The debate underscored a larger political contest over MSPs, procurement, and the legal protections farmers may expect in the years ahead.
Cover image source: A.P. farmers demand immediate procurement of paddy at MSP 🔗
