Farmers' coalition slams modest wheat MSP rise as an insult and demands higher support

Farmer organisations under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha umbrella have dismissed the government’s announced minimum support prices for the 2027-28 Rabi season, labeling the Rs 25-per-quintal wheat increase—just 25 paise per kilogram—as an insult. SKM called for an immediate overhaul of MSPs across all Rabi crops and for states to have the freedom to offer additional bonuses. The coalition also demanded a rollback of recent diesel price hikes, which it says have risen roughly Rs 7.5 per litre, arguing that the Centre and the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices have overridden state recommendations and ignored rising input costs.

The government justified the modest rise, noting a deficient monsoon and a policy shift toward lower-water-use oilseeds, pulses and coarse grains; wheat’s MSP rose from Rs 2,585 to Rs 2,610 per quintal, less than 1%. Other crops saw larger hikes, with safflower up Rs 675 per quintal, rapeseed and mustard up Rs 413, lentil Rs 390, barley Rs 136 and gram Rs 83. Agriculture analyst Sudhir Panwar said the wheat increase is below the rate of input-cost inflation.