Mandi Prices for Mustard and Gram Surge Above MSP
Mandi prices for mustard and gram, two key rabi crops, are currently trading well above the government's announced minimum support price (MSP) for the 2027-28 marketing season. In Bharatpur, Rajasthan, mustard from the previous season is selling at over Rs 8000/quintal, a 21% premium compared to the MSP of Rs 6613/quintal. Farmers are benefiting from these higher market rates ahead of the upcoming sowing season, which is expected to begin soon.
Higher global prices of edible oils and pulses have driven up domestic demand, particularly for oilseeds, as India imports about 58% of its annual oil consumption. Gram, which accounts for 50% of the country's pulses production, is currently priced between Rs 7000/quintal and Rs 7200/quintal, 17% above the MSP of Rs 5,958/quintal for the next season. Traders are calling for the release of nearly 2 million tonnes of chana held as buffer stock to stabilize prices.
The MSP for wheat, another major rabi crop, has seen only a modest increase of Rs 25/quintal, or less than 1%, to Rs 2,610/quintal for the 2026-27 season. This modest hike is attributed to surplus grain stocks and the government's push to boost oilseeds and pulses production. The farmer group Samyukta Kisan Morcha has criticized the government for this marginal increase in remunerative prices. Wheat prices in Kota, Rajasthan, currently range from Rs 2550/quintal to Rs 2800/quintal, with expectations of a softening trend due to an upcoming open market sale scheme by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).