Pulses, oilseeds MSPs include bonus of Rs 100-150 a quintal

The support prices of rabi pulses and oilseeds announced by the government recently include a bonus of Rs 100-150 per quintal, according to the agriculture ministry.

On October 24, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh announced the government's decision to hike the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat, barley, gram, masoor, rapeseed/mustard seeds and safflower.

According to the ministry, the support price of Rs 4,400 per quintal for gram include Rs 150 per quintal of bonus. Similarly, Rs 100 per quintal bonus would be provided on masur, rapeseed/mustard seed and safflower this year.

Including the bonus, the MSP of masoor is Rs 4,250 per quintal, rapeseed/mustard seed Rs 4,000 per quintal and safflower Rs 4,100 per quintal for the 2017-18 rabi season.

No bonus has been announced for wheat and barley, the MSP of which has been fixed at Rs 1,735 per quintal and Rs 1,410 per quintal, respectively, for this rabi season.

The government had announced the bonus during last two years in a bid to boost production of pulses and oilseeds, thereby reducing the country's dependence on imports.

The sowing of rabi crops is underway and the government expects better output in view of good monsoon.