Support price for wheat hiked by Rs.20

New Delhi, Nov 5 : The government Thursday hiked the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat by Rs.20, barley by Rs.70 and gram by Rs.30 per quintal for the current rabi crop.

The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Addressing reporters after the CCEA meet, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the new MSPs have been fixed for rabi crops grown in the current season that will be marketed in 2010-11.

As per the CCEA decision, the MSP of wheat has been fixed at Rs.1,100 per quintal, an increase of Rs.20 over that of last year.

Similarly, the MSP for barley has been fixed at Rs.750, an increase of Rs.70 per quintal and gram at Rs.1,760 per quintal, an increase of Rs.30 per quintal over the last year's support prices.

The MSP of safflower has also been increased by Rs.30 to Rs.1,680 per quintal, while that of other rabi crops remain unchanged at the last year's level.