India Rabi crop procurement and seed planning increase

India has seen a significant rise in the procurement of six Rabi crops, with procurement volumes increasing from 2,302 lakh metric tonnes between 2004 and 2014 to 3,921 lakh metric tonnes during the 2014 to 2026 period. Consequently, Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments have risen from Rs 2.65 lakh crore to Rs 8.36 lakh crore.

For the 2027-28 Rabi Marketing Season, the government expects to pay an estimated Rs 90,962 crore for 324 lakh metric tonnes of produce. Recent MSP increases include safflower at Rs 675 per quintal, rapeseed and mustard at Rs 413 per quintal, and lentil at Rs 390 per quintal. Wheat currently shows the highest estimated margin over production costs at 106 percent.

In Maharashtra, the Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation Limited (Mahabeej) has planned the availability of 3.98 lakh quintals of seeds for the 2026-27 Rabi season. This initiative aims to ensure access to quality seeds and prepare farmers for potential moisture stress caused by El Niño. The seed distribution will focus heavily on gram, followed by wheat, jowar, and other cereals.