Higher MSPs Expected to Boost Rabi Acreage

06-Oct-2025 11:43 AM

New Delhi. The Central Government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of six major crops – wheat, barley, gram, lentil, mustard, and safflower (safflower) – by 4 to 10 percent for the 2025-26 Rabi season, which is expected to provide a significant incentive for farmers to increase their sowing area.

Last year, the farming community's interest in sowing mustard and gram was low, but the area under wheat increased. This year, farmers are expected to be particularly attracted to mustard cultivation, as its wholesale market price is quite high.

Compared to last year, the minimum support price for wheat has been increased by 6.6 percent to ₹2,585 per quintal, for barley by 8.6 percent to ₹2,150 per quintal, for rice by 4 percent to ₹5,875 per quintal, for lentils by 4.5 percent to ₹7,000 per quintal,

for mustard by 4.2 percent to ₹6,200 per quintal, and for safflower by 10.1 percent to ₹6,540 per quintal. Although mung beans, black gram, peanuts, and paddy are also cultivated during the Rabi season, their minimum support prices are determined along with those for Kharif crops. Support prices for peas and flax are not announced.

Industry analysts believe that this increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will encourage farmers to expand the area under Rabi crops.

Wheat is a guaranteed government procurement, and the significant increase in its MSP is therefore a sure sign of accumulating acreage.

Mustard prices have been hovering well above the MSP since May, providing farmers with attractive income. Acreage under barley is expected to remain either equal to or slightly higher than last year. Among pulse crops, acreage under chickpea and lentils is likely to increase or decrease.

It will be important to see how farmers respond to maize cultivation during the Rabi season and whether this impacts acreage under other Rabi crops. Acreage under other crops is expected to remain normal.