Amid difference of opinion about hike in wheat support price, renowned farm scientist M S Swaminathan on Wednesday pitched for increase in minimum support price (MSP) of the grain by Rs 165 to Rs 1,450 per quintal for next year starting April 2013.
Last year, the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat stood at Rs 1,285 per quintal.
“Wheat MSP should be at least Rs 1,450 per quintal for 2013-14. It should cover the rise in cost of production due to increase in prices of diesel, fertilisers and other inputs,” Swaminathan told PTI on the sidelines of an event here.
The government should consider the increased cost of production in the last one year while fixing the MSP, he said.
Swaminathan, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, emphasised that the support price should at least take care of the expenditure incurred by farmers.
The government has not yet announced wheat MSP for 2013-14, though sowing is underway in wheat growing states.
Early this month, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had deferred the decision on this issue in view of differences among ministries on raising the price by Rs 115 per quintal. The matter was referred to the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) for further review.
Meanwhile, CACP has maintained its stand that the MSP should not be raised and recommended to the Agriculture Ministry to keep the support price at last year’s level in the wake of surplus stocks.
The Ministry is yet to move a fresh CCEA note with its views on CACP’s suggestion.
According to the official data, wheat acreage was slightly lower at 9.18 million hectares till last week of the rabi season that began from October, as against 9.23 million hectare in the year-ago period.