New Delhi, July 30: Two days after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressed concern over large edible oil imports and asked for crop diversification, the government today announced Rs 35-55 per quintal increase in kharif MSPs (minimum support prices) for oilseeds. Since special drought relief (SDR) was provided at the rate of Rs 20, 15, 10 and 5 for groundnut, sunflower, soyabean and sesamum, respectively, last year, "actual" increase in the MSP will work out to be Rs 25-40 per quintal.
According to a statement made by Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament, MSP for paddy has also been increased by Rs 20 per quintal to Rs 550 and Rs 580 a quintal for common and grade 'A' categories.
However, as a special drought relief (SDR) of Rs 20 per quintal was provided last year, "actual" MSP for paddy will remain the same as in 2002-03. "It is expected that the increases in the MSPs of Kharif crops will encourage the farmers in diversification of crops," the minister said.
The MSP for groundnut has been fixed at Rs 1,400 a quintal, an increase of Rs 45 a quintal. Corresponding rates for soyabean (yellow and black) have been fixed at Rs 930 and Rs 840 per quintal, respectively, again an increase of Rs 45 per quintal each.
MSP for sunflower seed has been raised to Rs 1,250 per quintal from Rs 1,195 a quintal. That for sesamum and nigerseed have been fixed at Rs 1,485 and 1,455 a quintal, respectively, an increase of Rs 35 quintal. Cotton MSP has been hiked by Rs 50 a quintal to Rs 1,725 and Rs 1,925 a quintal for two different varieties. Bureau Report