The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 1 October 2026 approved a hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for six major Rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season, bringing relief to farmers in Rajasthan who have been battling a rainfall deficit this year. The decision has been welcomed particularly by mustard, chana, and wheat growers across the state.

Key MSP Increases Announced

The Centre announced the steepest hike for safflower, at ₹675 per quintal, followed by rapeseed and mustard at ₹413 per quintal. Lentil (Masur) received an increase of ₹390 per quintal, while barley was raised by ₹136 per quintal, gram by ₹83 per quintal, and wheat by ₹25 per quintal, according to an official statement from the government.

Farmers Respond: Relief After a Difficult Kharif Season

In Jodhpur, a farmer primarily engaged in mustard and chana cultivation said the MSP revision addresses some of the anxiety caused by below-normal monsoon rains. 'We are majorly into mustard and chana cultivation. If the sale of these crops increases, we will be able to benefit from the increase in the hike in MSP for Rabi crops,' he said. He noted that chana sowing had been lower than usual this season due to the rainfall deficit, but expressed hope that stronger mustard prices would compensate.

Another farmer from Jodhpur pointed out that the revision would help offset rising input costs. 'It will definitely benefit farmers,' he said, adding that the hike would cover expenditure on fertilisers, manure, petrol, and diesel.

In Churu, a farmer said the announcement provided direct relief to those anxious about the patchy monsoon. 'Farmers who were worried with deficit rainfall can now heave a sigh of relief. This hike in MSP (for Rabi crops) will be extremely helpful,' he said. A fourth farmer highlighted the significance of the wheat and jowar MSP increase, saying earnings that were 'negligible' earlier would now improve meaningfully.

Why the Hike Matters This Year

Rajasthan, one of India's largest producers of mustard and gram, has seen uneven monsoon distribution in 2026, compressing Kharif output and raising anxiety ahead of the Rabi sowing season, which begins in October–November. The MSP revision is designed to encourage farmers to plant Rabi crops despite input cost inflation and weather-related uncertainty. Notably, the hike in rapeseed and mustard prices is significant given that Rajasthan accounts for a disproportionate share of national mustard output — any supply disruption from the state carries price implications at the national level.

Policy Context and What Comes Next

The CCEA has maintained that MSP revisions are intended to ensure remunerative prices that cover the cost of production with a reasonable margin. Critics, however, have long argued that MSP announcements have limited impact unless backed by robust procurement infrastructure, particularly in states where private mandis dominate trade. Farmers will now watch whether state government procurement agencies in Rajasthan are adequately capitalised to buy at the revised support prices once harvests arrive in early 2027.