Union Cabinet approves Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24.
The government has increased the MSP of Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce and to encourage crop diversification, as provided in the table below:
Minimum Support Prices for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023-24
(Rs. per quintal)
| Crops | MSP 2014-15 | MSP 2022-23 | MSP 2023-24 | Cost* KMS 2023-24 | Increase in MSP over 2022-23 | Margin over cost in per cent |
| Paddy -Common | 1360 | 2040 | 2183 | 1455 | 143 | 50 |
| Paddy-Grade A^ | 1400 | 2060 | 2203 | – | 143 | – |
| Jowar-Hybrid | 1530 | 2970 | 3180 | 2120 | 210 | 50 |
| Jowar- Maldandi^ | 1550 | 2990 | 3225 | – | 235 | – |
| Bajra | 1250 | 2350 | 2500 | 1371 | 150 | 82 |
| Ragi | 1550 | 3578 | 3846 | 2564 | 268 | 50 |
| Maize | 1310 | 1962 | 2090 | 1394 | 128 | 50 |
| Tur /Arhar | 4350 | 6600 | 7000 | 4444 | 400 | 58 |
| Moong | 4600 | 7755 | 8558 | 5705 | 803 | 50 |
| Urad | 4350 | 6600 | 6950 | 4592 | 350 | 51 |
| Groundnut | 4000 | 5850 | 6377 | 4251 | 527 | 50 |
| Sunflower Seed | 3750 | 6400 | 6760 | 4505 | 360 | 50 |
| Soybean (Yellow) | 2560 | 4300 | 4600 | 3029 | 300 | 52 |
| Sesamum | 4600 | 7830 | 8635 | 5755 | 805 | 50 |
| Nigerseed | 3600 | 7287 | 7734 | 5156 | 447 | 50 |
| Cotton (Medium Staple) | 3750 | 6080 | 6620 | 4411 | 540 | 50 |
| Cotton (Long Staple) ^ | 4050 | 6380 | 7020 | – | 640 | – |
*Refers to cost which includes all paid-out costs such as those incurred on account of hired human labour, bullock labour/machine labour, rent paid for leased in the land, expenses incurred on use of material inputs like seeds, fertilizers, manures, irrigation charges, depreciation on implements and farm buildings, interest on working capital, diesel/electricity for the operation of pump sets etc., miscellaneous expenses and imputed value of family labour.
^ Cost data are not separately compiled for Paddy (Grade A), Jowar (Maldandi) and Cotton (Long staple)
The increase in MSP for Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2023-24 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of Production, aiming at reasonably fair remuneration for the farmers. The expected margin to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be highest in the case of bajra (82%) followed by tur (58%), soybean (52%) and urad (51%). For the rest of the crops, the margin to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at least 50%.
In recent years, Government has been promoting the cultivation of crops, other than cereals such as pulses, oilseeds, and Nutri-cereals/ Shree Anna, by offering a higher MSP for these crops. Additionally, the government has also launched various schemes and initiatives, such as the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), and the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), to encourage farmers to diversify their crops.
As per Third Advance Estimates for 2022-23, total Foodgrain production in the country is estimated at a record 330.5 million tonnes which is higher by 14.9 million tonnes as compared to the previous year 2021-22. This is the highest increase in the last 5 years.
