Parliament Question: Criteria for coverage of crops under MSP

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2401 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13/03/2026 CRITERIA FOR COVERAGE OF CROPS UNDER MSP 2401. SMT. RANJEET RANJAN: SHRI DIGVIJAYA SINGH: SHRI HARIS BEERAN: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) the criteria used to restrict Minimum Support Price (MSP) coverage to 23 crops, despite over 200 crops being traded on the e-NAM platform; (b) whether any crops have been formally considered and rejected for MSP coverage during the last five years, if so, the reasons therefor; (c) the total value of fiscal transfers made directly to households in rural and urban areas during financial year 2024 and financial year 2025, State-wise, scheme-wise; and (d) the percentage of farmers who have sold their produce at MSP during the last three agricultural years, State-wise? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY) (a) & (b): Every year, Government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for 22 mandated agricultural crops for the country as a whole, based on the recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), after considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments concerned. The 22 mandated crops include 14 Kharif crops viz. paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, tur (arhar), moong, urad, groundnut, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, nigerseed, cotton and 6 Rabi crops viz. wheat, barley, gram, masur (lentil), rapeseed & mustard, safflower and two commercial crops viz. jute and copra.The Union Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep MSPs at levels of at least one and half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, Government had increased MSPs for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other Commercial crops with a minimum return of 50 percent over all India weighted average cost of production from year 2018-19 onwards. (c): The details of Actual Expenditure of Central Sector and Central Sponsored schemes of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare during the year 2023-24 and 2024-25 are given in the Annexure. (d): Increased MSP has benefitted farmers of the country which is evident from details of farmers benefited during last three crop years given as under: All MSP Crops 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Benefited Farmers 1.68 1.52 1.84 (in crore)Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of Rajya Sabha Untarred Question No. 2401 due for reply on 13.03.2026 Actual Expenditure of Central Sector and Central Sponsored schemes of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare during the year 2023-24 and 2024-25 Grant No. 1-Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (Rs. in crore) S. Name of the Scheme Actual Expenditure Actual Expenditure No. 2023-24 2024-25 Schemes I- Central Sector Schemes/Projects 1 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna- (PMFBY) 12948.50 14473.46 2 Modified Interest Subvention Scheem (MISS) 14251.93 22600.00 3 Implementation of Market Intervention 0.00 22.59 Scheme/Price Support Scheme(MIS/ PSS) 4 Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan 2200.00 5437.99 Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) 5 Distribution of Pulses to state/ union territories for 446.30 246.62 Welfare Schemes 6 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- 61440.74 66121.20 KISAN) 7 Pradhanmantri Kisan Mandhan Yojna 100.00 100.00 8 Formation and Promotion of Farmers Producers 428.86 474.24 Organizations 9 Agriculture Infrastructure Fund 475.23 725.34 10 National Beekeping Honey Mission (NBHM) 22.50 66.50 11 Namo Drone Didi 4500.00 1.48 12 Blended Capital Support to Finance Startups for - 62.50 Agriculture and Rural Enterprises Relevant for Farm Produce Value Chain 13 Additional Transfer to Agriculture Infrastructure - 6000.00 and Development Fund Total- Central Sector Schemes/Projects 96814.06 116331.92 II- Centrally Sponsored Schemes 1 Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojna 5693.49 7386.14 2 National Mission on Natural Farming 30.19 10.35 3 Krishionnati Yojna 5736.20 5599.70 Additional transfer to Agriculture Infrastructure 500.00 - and Development Fund Total- Centrally Sponsored Schemes 11959.88 12996.19 Total- Scheme 108773.94 129328.11 *****