Chandigarh June, 2: Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has welcomed the decision of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi to approve the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2020-21. He said that the farmers would be greatly benefitted with this decision.

In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister said that like every year, this time too, before sowing of Kharif crops, the announcement regarding increasing the Minimum Support Price would definitely help the farmers to make up their minds in advance to take decision regarding sowing of their crops. After this decision farmers would not only get remunerative prices for their produce, but it would also give a big boost to Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s target of doubling the farmers’ income by 2022.

He said that with this decision, farmers would get more than 50 percent benefit on the production cost of their produce. He said that the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has implemented a formula for fixing the Minimum Support Price(MSP) of crops every year, therefore increase in the Minimum Support Price of crops every year is certain.

The Chief Minister said that this increase would benefit the farmers in a great way. He said that the MSP of Nigerseed has been hiked by Rs. 755 per quintal and MSP of sesamum seed has been hiked by Rs 370 per quintal.

Similarly, the MSP of Urad has been hiked by Rs. 300 per quintal and MSP of Cotton (Long Staple) rate has been hiked by Rs. 275 per quintal. Likewise, the MSP of Cotton (Medium Staple) has been hiked by Rs.260 per quintal. The MSP of sunflower seed has been hiked by Rs.235 per quintal and MSP of Tur (Arhar) has been hiked by Rs.200 per quintal. MSP of groundnut has been hiked by Rs.185 per quintal and the Soyabean (yellow) rate has been hiked by Rs 170 per quintal. The MSP of Bajra has been hiked by Rs.150 per quintal and MSP of moong has also been increased by Rs. 146 per quintal.

However, the MSP of Ragi has been raised by Rs. 145 per quintal and MSP of Maize has been increased by Rs.90 per quintal, Rs 70 in per quintal of Jowar and Rs. 53 per quintal in paddy.

. Manohar Lal said that decision to increase the MSP proves the fact that boosting agriculture and ensuring farmer interest is the top-most priority of the Central Government.

He said that under the "Mera Pani-Meri Virasat" scheme launched by the State Government aimed towards water conservation, farmers have been appealed to, to replace paddy with other alternative crops such as maize, millet, pulses and to grow vegetables and fruits and for this the farmers would get an incentive of Rs. 7000 per acre.

The Chief Minister said that now the Central Government has also increased the MSP of alternative crops, which clearly indicates that along with Haryana, Central Government is also promoting crop diversification and farmers would be able to earn a good income by adopting crop diversification.