PIB Delhi: The increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22 has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

To ensure lucrative prices to the growers, the MSP of Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22 has been increased under Government.

Previous year MSP increment has been recommended for sesamum (Rs. 452 per quintal) followed by tur and urad (Rs. 300 per quintal each), for groundnut and Niger seed, an increase of Rs 275 per quintal and Rs 235 per quintal respectively was comparingly seen.

MSP rise for Kharif Crops for marketing season 2021-22 is followed from the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement when the MSPs level fixed at most over 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of Production (CoP), aiming at reasonably failing to cost for the farmers. The highest estimated returns in the case of Bajra (85%) is followed by urad (65%) and tur (62%) and the rest is 50%.

Certain efforts were continuously made over the years, to ensure the MSP realignment in favor of oilseeds, pulses, and coarse cereals encouraging farmers to shift to a larger area and adopt the enhanced technologies for the crops. Rice-wheat-based areas where it cannot be grown without long-term groundwater level impacts were the eye of focus to incentivize the Nutri-cereals.

Announced by the Govt. in 2018, apart from the Umbrella Scheme "Pradhan Mantri AnnadataAaySanraksHan Abhiyan' (PM-AASHA) will aid in providing a remunerative return to farmers.

A special Kharif strategy was prepared for implementation in the ensuing Kharif 2021 season to attain self-sufficient production, a detailed plan for both area expansion and productivity enhancement for Tur, Moong, and Urad has been composed to distribute the  HYV seeds free of cost which shall increase area through intercropping and sole crop.

Likewise, a similar plan has been approved for Oilseeds by the Govt. of India.

An additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals for the special Kharif program.