Sukhbir Badal rejects ₹40 per quintal wheat MSP hike, terms it meagre

The Centre should hike the wheat MSP by at least ₹150 per quintal, says Sukhbir. He also sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immediate intervention to ensure that farmers were not short-changed.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president on Wednesday rejected the “meagre” ₹40 per quintal hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat.

Sukhbir said it was shocking that the Centre was not taking into account the unprecedented increase in the prices of diesel and fertilisers in the last one year while calculating the hike in the MSP of wheat and other crops. (HT photo)

“The Union government should hike the wheat MSP by at least ₹150 per quintal to give a remunerative price to farmers for their produce,” said Sukhbir in a statement.

He also sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immediate intervention to ensure that farmers were not short-changed.

At a time when farmers across the country were aggrieved with the BJP-led NDA government over the three new agriculture laws, the Centre has announced the lowest MSP hike in recent years, said the SAD chief. Sukhbir said it was shocking that the government was not taking into account the unprecedented increase in the prices of diesel and fertilisers in the last one year.

“It has also failed to calculate the MSP by taking into account all comprehensive costs of farmers, including land rental and interest forgone on owned land and fixed capital assets. A minimum of 50% profit should be ensured to farmers after calculating all comprehensive costs incurred by them,” he added. Sukhbir said the low MSP announced by the Centre would result in a slowdown in agriculture growth.