Andhra minister welcomes kharif MSP hike, thanks Union Govt

Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu on Wednesday welcomed the Centre’s decision to increase MSP for Kharif crops for the 2026-27 marketing season, saying that the move would strengthen farmers financially and reinforce confidence in the agriculture sector.

The Centre approved a massive expenditure of Rs 2.6 lakh crore towards increasing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops, and it reflected the Government’s sincerity and commitment towards safeguarding farmers’ interests and ensuring remunerative prices for agricultural produce, Atchannaidu said in a press release.

“The Centre’s decision to increase MSP for Kharif crops for the 2026-27 marketing season will strengthen farmers financially and further boost confidence in the agriculture sector,” he added. 

He observed that fixing MSPs by ensuring at least 50 per cent profit over the cost of cultivation provided real assurance to farmers and noted that MSPs of several crops have been significantly increased to ensure fair returns for farmers’ hard work. The minister said that the MSP of common paddy has been increased by Rs 72 per quintal to Rs 2,441, while the MSP for Grade-A paddy has been fixed at Rs 2,461, which he said would greatly benefit paddy farmers.

He further noted that the MSPs have been fixed at Rs 4,073 for jowar, Rs 5,205 for ragi, Rs 2,900 for bajra, Rs 8,200 for horse gram, Rs 2,410 for maize, Rs 10,346 for sesame, Rs 8,343 for sunflower, Rs 8,667 for cotton and Rs 7,517 for groundnut.

Atchannaidu opined that the decision comes at a time when the agriculture sector was facing increasing expenditure on fertilisers, seeds and labour. He praised the Central Government for moving forward with the view that farmers’ welfare forms the foundation for the country’s development and reiterated that protecting farmers’ interests remains a priority for both the Centre and the State Government.

The minister clarified that the Andhra Pradesh Government would take all necessary measures to ensure that farmers in the state fully receive the MSP benefits announced by the Centre through effective procurement centres, marketing systems and implementation mechanisms.

Atchannaidu also expressed gratitude to the Central Government on behalf of the farmers of Andhra Pradesh for taking what he described as historic decisions aimed at supporting farmers and developing the agriculture sector.