Rabi season pulses and oilseeds prices below MSP but wheat and barley prices higher
07-May-2025 12:29 PM
New Delhi. The price of wheat, the most important food grain of the Rabi season, remained slightly higher than the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2425 per quintal during March-April, and the price of barley also did not fall below the MSP of Rs 1980 per quintal. However, the prices of pulses like gram and lentil and oilseeds like mustard remained slightly below the MSP.
Data compiled by the Agmarknet portal shows that during March-April, the average price of wheat in the producing markets was recorded at Rs 2476 per quintal, 2.1 percent higher than the MSP.
In March, the average price peaked at Rs 2600 per quintal but fell to Rs 2451 in April. Analysts say that despite the government’s repeated claims of record domestic wheat production, several negative factors persisted until March, keeping prices elevated.
As harvesting began in full swing in April, prices started to come under pressure. For the past three years, government procurement of wheat has remained well below the set targets, and stocks in the central pool had declined considerably. Wheat prices were particularly high in January-February 2025.
Barley producers are also receiving prices higher than the MSP, although the market has seen fluctuations. The average price of barley during March-April was Rs 2098 per quintal, about 6 percent above the MSP.
From May 1 to 6, the average price increased further to Rs 2223 per quintal, compared to the March average of Rs 2086 and April average of Rs 2103. Starch manufacturers have shown strong interest in barley purchases.
On the other hand, the wholesale market prices of key Rabi pulses like gram and lentil and oilseed mustard were 2 to 9 percent below their respective MSPs.
A similar situation occurred in 2022 when these commodities also traded 2 to 8 percent below MSP during March-April.
For the 2024-25 Rabi season, the MSP for gram is Rs 5650 per quintal, for lentil Rs 6700 per quintal, and for mustard Rs 5950 per quintal. However, the average prices in March-April were below these levels.