The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approves Minimum Support Prices (MSP) twice a year — once for Kharif crops and once for Rabi crops — based on recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). For the 2026-27 marketing season, the CCEA approved the Rabi MSP hike on 1 October 2025 and the Kharif MSP hike on 13 May 2026. Both rounds continued the government's stated approach of pricing crops at least 1.5 times their All-India weighted average cost of production, with particularly strong increases again favouring pulses, oilseeds, and nutri-cereals (Shree Anna) over traditional cereals. MSP 2026-27 Overview Rabi MSP 2026-27 Approved – 1 October 2025, by the CCEA chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Kharif MSP 2026-27 Approved – 13 May 2026, by the CCEA Total Crops Covered – 22 mandated crops: 14 Kharif, 6 Rabi, and 2 commercial crops (sugarcane is priced separately via Fair and Remunerative Price, not MSP) Estimated Kharif 2026-27 Payout – Around ₹2.6 lakh crore to farmers, with an estimated 824 lakh metric tonnes of Kharif crops to be procured Type – Central Government price-support mechanism, procured through FCI (paddy/wheat), NAFED and similar bodies (pulses/oilseeds), and state agencies Helpline No – Kisan Call Centre, 1800-180-1551, for procurement-related queries States Covered – All-India, though physical procurement infrastructure and volumes vary significantly by state and crop Kharif MSP 2026-27 (₹ per quintal) Crop MSP 2026-27 MSP 2025-26 Increase Margin over cost Paddy (Common)₹2,441₹2,369₹7250% Paddy (Grade A)₹2,461₹2,389₹72– Jowar (Hybrid)₹4,023₹3,699₹32450% Jowar (Maldandi)₹4,073₹3,749₹324– Bajra₹2,900₹2,775₹12556% Ragi₹5,205₹4,886₹31950% Maize₹2,410₹2,400₹1056% Tur/Arhar₹8,450₹8,000₹45054% Moong₹8,780₹8,768₹1261% Urad₹8,200₹7,800₹400~50% Groundnut₹7,517₹7,263₹254~50% Soybean₹5,708––~50% Sunflower Seed₹8,343–₹622 (highest absolute hike)~50% Sesamum₹10,346–₹500~50% Nigerseed₹10,052––~50% Cotton (Medium Staple)₹8,267₹7,710₹557~50% Cotton (Long Staple)₹8,667₹8,110₹557~50% Figures per official CCEA/PIB announcements (13 May 2026) for Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27. Moong shows the highest expected farmer margin at 61%, followed by bajra and maize at 56% each, and tur/arhar at 54%. Rabi MSP 2026-27 (₹ per quintal) Crop MSP 2026-27 MSP 2025-26 Increase Margin over cost Wheat₹2,585₹2,425₹160 (6.59%)109% Barley₹2,150₹1,980₹170 (8.58%)58% Gram (Chana)₹5,875₹5,650₹225 (3.98%)59% Lentil (Masur)₹7,000₹6,700₹300 (4.47%)89% Rapeseed & Mustard₹6,200₹5,950₹250 (4.2%)93% Safflower₹6,540₹5,940₹600 (10.1%)50% Figures per CCEA/PIB announcement dated 1 October 2025, applicable for Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2026-27. Wheat shows the highest margin over cost of production at 109%. How MSP Rates Are Determined The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) submits separate price policy reports for Kharif crops, Rabi crops, sugarcane, raw jute, and copra each year CACP calculates cost of production using A2 (actual paid-out cost), A2+FL (paid-out cost plus imputed family labour), and C2 (comprehensive cost including rental value of owned land and interest on fixed capital) Since the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement, MSP is fixed at a minimum of 1.5 times the All-India weighted average cost of production (A2+FL) Final rates are approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Kharif MSP is typically announced just before the monsoon sowing season (May-June); Rabi MSP is announced before winter sowing (around October) Benefits to Farmers A guaranteed floor price for 22 mandated crops, protecting farmers from distress sales when market prices crash Strong margins over production cost for several crops — 109% for wheat and 93% for rapeseed & mustard among Rabi crops; 61% for moong and 56% for bajra/maize among Kharif crops Higher relative hikes for pulses, oilseeds, and nutri-cereals encourage crop diversification away from water-intensive staples like paddy Between 2014-15 and 2025-26, the government paid out ₹18.99 lakh crore in MSP for the 14 Kharif crops alone, compared to ₹4.75 lakh crore during 2004-05 to 2013-14 — a sign of expanding procurement reach over the past decade Procurement volumes have also scaled up significantly: paddy procurement reached 8,418 lakh metric tonnes between 2014-15 and 2025-26, nearly double the prior decade's 4,590 LMT Limitations of MSP MSP applies only to the 22 notified crops — produce outside this list has no equivalent central price floor Procurement infrastructure remains far stronger for paddy and wheat in states like Punjab and Haryana than for many other crops or regions, so real-world access to MSP benefit is uneven across India MSP is a policy-announced floor price, not a universal legal guarantee in most cases — farmers in areas with limited procurement infrastructure may still end up selling below MSP in the open market Some crops saw only marginal absolute increases this cycle (maize up just ₹10/quintal, moong up ₹12/quintal), which may not fully offset rising input costs for those specific crops Farmers must register and sell during a specific, notified procurement window at a designated centre — missing this window can mean losing MSP access for that season Documents Required to Sell at MSP Aadhaar Card Land ownership or valid tenancy/cultivation proof Bank account passbook, linked to Aadhaar for direct payment Registration on the relevant state procurement portal Crop-specific quality/grading certification, as required at the procurement centre How Farmers Can Sell Produce at MSP Confirm the current MSP rate for your specific crop and variety/grade from the tables above or the official CACP/PIB announcement. Register on your state's procurement portal ahead of the notified buying window. Keep Aadhaar, land records, and bank account details ready for registration and payment. Bring your produce to a notified procurement centre or APMC mandi during the active procurement window for grading and quality verification. Sell to the designated procurement agency — FCI, NAFED, or the relevant state agency — at the announced MSP rate. Payment is typically credited directly to your registered bank account; confirm local procurement availability beforehand, since not all crops are procured in every state. Conclusion The 2026-27 MSP cycle continues a clear policy pattern — steady increases for staple cereals like paddy and wheat, but noticeably sharper hikes for pulses, oilseeds, and nutri-cereals to nudge farmers toward more diversified, less water-intensive cropping. With wheat now guaranteeing a 109% margin over production cost and moong offering a 61% margin, the 2026-27 rates give farmers a fairly clear price signal ahead of their sowing decisions. As always, the real value of MSP depends on being registered and ready when the procurement window opens in your state, so checking with your local agriculture office ahead of each season remains essential. [Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Scheme details, interest rates, and subvention amounts are subject to periodic revision by the Government of India, RBI, and NABARD. Farmers are advised to verify the latest terms and eligibility criteria with their bank, NABARD, or official government sources before applying.]