Now Reading: SKM calls MSP hike for rabi crops an insult, plans agitation
-
01
SKM calls MSP hike for rabi crops an insult, plans agitation
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday, 3 October 2026, rejected the minimum support prices (MSP) for rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season announced by the Union Cabinet on 30 September, calling the ₹25 per quintal increase in wheat MSP an 'insult' to farmers. The body said the hike amounted to just 25 paise per kg and questioned the government's claim of a 106 per cent return over the cost of production, asserting that the margin is only 43 per cent when calculated on a comprehensive C2 cost basis.
SKM has called on farmers and rural youth to burn copies of the government order in every village and join protests at district headquarters. It demanded a legal guarantee for MSP at C2+50 per cent based on an 'honestly calculated' cost of production, an immediate revision of MSPs, and respect for state price recommendations. The Union Cabinet had approved MSPs for six rabi crops, with wheat at ₹2,610 per quintal. The Business Standard reports that the hike drew condemnation from farmer groups, though Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the government's record.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Hindu Business Line gives extended platform to the SKM's detailed cost calculations and its allegation that state government recommendations were ignored, framing the hike as a political betrayal of a 2021 assurance. Business Standard leads with the government's decision and the cabinet's rationale, including expert comments on crop diversification, while still reporting farmer criticism. The two sources agree on the key figures, the difference is in which account gets the final word. The core factual dispute is over the correct cost formula: the government uses A2+FL to claim 106 per cent returns, while the SKM insists on C2+50 per cent, which it says would require wheat MSP of ₹3,418 per quintal. The next step is the SKM's announced agitation, which it says will continue until a legal guarantee for MSP at C2+50 per cent is secured.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
Sources (2): thehindubusinessline.com (government critical), business-standard.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
