Mandi prices of mustard, masur ruled below MSPs during India’s rabi harvest

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Indian farmers received 3-11 per cent higher than the minimum support prices (MSPs) for three crops and 7 pert cent lower for two crops, while it was around the benchmark rate in one crop during the key rabi harvesting season (April-June), official data show.

In case of wheat, the pan-India average mandi (agri terminal markets) price was ₹2,331/quintal during the April-June period, which was 2.5 per cent more than the MSP of ₹2,275/quintal. Farmers in Uttar Pradesh, where earlier the crops used to be sold below MSP, received ₹2,347/quintal, according to Agmarknet portal.

The average mandi price in case of chana (Bengal Gram) was 11 per cent higher at ₹6,041/quintal against its MSP of ₹5,440/quintal. Farmers in Madhya Pradesh, the largest producer of the crop, received ₹5,998/quintal. In case of safflower the average rate was ₹5,989/quintal against MSP of ₹5,800, up by 3.3 per cent. In biggest producing State of Haryana, farmers have sold the oilseed crop at ₹6,760/quintal.

Down but still…

In case of barley, which is mainly used by distilleries for liquor manufacturing, farmers have sold the crop at ₹1,862/quintal, a tad higher than its MSP of ₹1,850/quintal. The price in largest producer Rajasthan was, however, lower at ₹1,820/quintal. In 2022, farmers had received over ₹3,000/quintal from barley due to lower output.

On the other hand, both mustard and masur rates were about 7 per cent lower than their MSPs during April-June. While farmers on an average received ₹5,281/quintal from mustard, the mandi (agriculture market yard) price was ₹5,990/quintal in case of masur (lentil).

Farmers in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the top producers of the two crops, got even lower than pan-India average prices. While mustard rate in Rajasthan was ₹5,131/quintal, that of masur was ₹5,713/quintal in Madhya Pradesh.

“Unless the Centre makes a law, it is not possible to ensure all these crops are purchased at MSPs,” said Rampal Jat, president of Kisan Mahapanchayat. Jat has been organising farmers of Rajasthan for the last two decades for ensuring MSPs.

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, had slammed the government over farmers’ issues, saying it did not want to give a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan termed the charges as misleading. Farmers have been protesting on Punjab-Haryana border since February, seeking legal guarantee of MSPs and also have some other demands.