New Delhi, October 30, 2026: The Centre’s latest backgrounder on Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for the Rabi Marketing Season 2027-28 details increases for six crops, with the largest absolute hike set for safflower at ₹675 per quintal. Rapeseed and mustard receive an increase of ₹413 per quintal, while lentil (masur) rises by ₹390.
The revised MSPs were approved by the government on September 30, 2026. The Press Information Bureau published a detailed explainer on October 29, setting out the crop-wise rates and the government’s estimated procurement and payment figures.
New MSP rates for Rabi 2027-28
- Wheat: ₹2,610 per quintal, up ₹25.
- Barley: ₹2,286 per quintal, up ₹136.
- Gram: ₹5,958 per quintal, up ₹83.
- Lentil (masur): ₹7,390 per quintal, up ₹390.
- Rapeseed and mustard: ₹6,613 per quintal, up ₹413.
- Safflower: ₹7,215 per quintal, up ₹675.
The government estimates that around ₹90,962 crore will be paid to farmers for 324 lakh metric tonnes of produce during the Rabi 2027-28 marketing season. The backgrounder says the MSP calculations provide at least a 50% margin over the government’s estimated cost of production; the margin varies by crop.
What the figures mean
MSP is a price-assurance mechanism, not a guarantee that every farmer will sell every unit of produce at that rate. Actual procurement depends on crop eligibility, quality standards, registration and the arrangements operated by central and state agencies. The government says digital registration, biometric verification and direct bank payments are being used to improve access and transparency.
The PIB backgrounder also compares procurement of six Rabi crops across two periods: 2,302 lakh metric tonnes from 2004-05 to 2013-14, compared with 3,921 lakh metric tonnes from 2014-15 to 2025-26. It reports cumulative MSP payments of ₹8.36 lakh crore for the latter period.
Source
Image credit: Press Information Bureau, Government of India.
