Agri panel proposes rise in Minimum Support Price for cotton

The State Agriculture Price Commission has recommended a sharp rise in the Minimum Support Price for cotton, sesame, and other crops on Wednesday. The recommendations would be forwarded to the Union government.

The Centre had announced MSP of Rs1,080 per quintal for paddy last year. The commission has recommended MSP of Rs1,300 this year. For cotton, the MSP has been proposed at Rs3,900 per quintal, as against Rs3,300 last year. Similarly, for sesame, the MSP proposed is Rs4,700 as against last year's price of Rs3,400.
For groundnut the MSP has been proposed at Rs3,000 per quintal as against Rs2,700 last year.

State agriculture minister Dileep Sanghani, who is also chairman of the Commission, said, "The prices are reached following scientific studies by agricultural universities taking into consideration the changes in prices of fertilizer, pesticides, seeds, and the labour cost." Centre is likely to announce MSP on March 1.