Suryavanshi IAS: National Pulses Mission & Rabi MSP Hike

National Pulses Mission & Rabi MSP Hike

This development is crucial for the UPSC syllabus, primarily under GS Paper III (Agriculture, Food Security) and links to GS Paper II (Governance).

The Union Cabinet has approved two significant decisions:

The launch of a 'National Pulses Mission' to achieve self-sufficiency.
A significant increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all major Rabi crops for the 2026-27 marketing season.

National Pulses Mission: A centrally sponsored mission with a targeted approach to boost the production of pulses (like Tur, Urad, Masur, Chana).
Minimum Support Price (MSP): The price at which the government purchases crops from farmers, ensuring they get a remunerative price.
Rabi Crops: Crops sown in winter (October-December) and harvested in spring (March-April). Key Rabi crops include Wheat, Barley, Gram (Chana), Lentils (Masur), Rapeseed/Mustard, and Safflower.
A2+FL Cost: The cost calculation used for MSP includes A2 (actual paid-out cost for inputs) + FL (the imputed value of family labor). The government's promise was to set MSP at at least 1.5 times the A2+FL cost.

Aspect	Details
Objective	1. Achieve self-sufficiency in pulses production. 2. Enhance national nutritional security. 3. Raise farmers' income.
Production Target	Increase from 24.2 Million Tonnes (2024-25) to 35 Million Tonnes by 2030-31.
Strategic Implementation	Focus on 416 districts across the country. Key strategies include: - Utilizing Rice Fallow Areas (to use residual soil moisture). - Providing high-quality seeds. - Promoting Intercropping. - Ensuring better irrigation and market linkages.
Price Support	100% MSP procurement for Tur, Urad, and Masur to guarantee full returns to farmers.
Budgetary Allocation	₹11,440 crore for the financial year 2025-26.

Significance of the Pulses Mission:

Reduces Import Dependence: India is the world's largest importer of pulses. This mission aims to reverse that, saving foreign exchange and boosting Atmanirbhar Bharat in agriculture.
Nutritional Security: Pulses are a primary source of protein for a large vegetarian population. Increasing their availability addresses hidden hunger and malnutrition.
Sustainable Agriculture: Practices like intercropping and using rice fallows improve soil health and promote sustainable water use.
Doubling Farmers' Income: By focusing on high-value crops and ensuring procurement, it directly contributes to this goal.

The following table summarizes the MSP announcement:

Crop	MSP 2025-26 (₹/qtl)	MSP 2026-27 (₹/qtl)	Absolute Increase (₹)	Return over Cost (%)
Wheat	2,425	2,585	160	109%
Lentils (Masur)	6,700	7,000	300	89%
Rapeseed/Mustard	5,950	6,200	250	93%
Gram	5,650	5,875	225	59%
Barley	1,980	2,150	170	58%
Safflower	5,940	6,540	600	50%

Analysis of the MSP Hike:

Fulfillment of a Promise: The hikes honor the government's Budget 2018-19 commitment to provide MSP at 1.5 times the cost of production (A2+FL). For Wheat, the return is a massive 109%.
Incentivizing Crop Diversification: The highest percentage increases are for pulses (Masur) and oilseeds (Mustard), signaling a policy push to shift away from water-intensive cereals like wheat and rice towards more sustainable and high-demand crops.
Inflation Management vs. Farmer Welfare: While MSP hikes can be inflationary, they are a necessary tool to ensure farmer welfare and incentivize production, especially for essential commodities like pulses and oilseeds where India is import-dependent.

Challenges:

Effective Procurement: The promise of 100% procurement for pulses is ambitious. The government machinery (NAFED, FCI) must be strengthened to avoid a situation where farmers are forced to sell below MSP in the open market.
Ecological Impact: Intensive cultivation of pulses in new areas must be managed carefully to avoid negative ecological consequences.
Fiscal Burden: High MSPs and procurement lead to a higher food subsidy bill, which is a constant fiscal challenge.

The Way Forward:

Strengthening APMCs: Improve market infrastructure to ensure MSP is a floor price, not the only price.
Focus on Productivity: The Pulses Mission must prioritize research into high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): For crops where procurement is difficult, mechanisms like the PM-AASHA scheme can be leveraged to pay the difference between MSP and market price directly to farmers.

A. Prelims (Factual)

B. Mains GS (Analytical)

GS Paper III (Agriculture)

"The National Pulses Mission represents a strategic shift from a focus on food security to nutritional security." Critically examine.
The recent increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Rabi crops is a step towards doubling farmers' income. Discuss the potential of this policy in achieving this goal, along with the associated challenges.
What are the salient features of the 'National Pulses Mission'? How does it address the twin objectives of achieving self-sufficiency and ensuring sustainable agriculture?

C. Interview

"While MSP hikes are popular, they often benefit farmers in a few states like Punjab and Haryana the most. How can the benefits of such policies be equitably distributed across the country?"
"How can India balance the imperative of providing remunerative prices to farmers with the need to keep food inflation in check for consumers?"
"Beyond MSP, what are the more sustainable long-term solutions to ensure the economic well-being of farmers in India?"

Suryavanshi IAS