MSP hike has 'exposed' those misleading farmers over farm bills: Nadda

Hitting out at the opposition, BJP president J P Nadda said on Monday that the central government's decision to hike the minimum support price of various crops has exposed those "misleading" farmers over the farm sector reform bills and demanded that they "apologise" to them.

In a series of tweets, Nadda said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken an "important" decision to approve hike in MSP of six Rabi crops and noted that the development has come after passage of the agriculture reform bills in Parliament.

"The central government has not only increased the MSP but also hiked procurement at MSP to ensure that farmers get their labour cost. Those who were misleading farmers without any fact has been exposed. They should now seek apology from our food producing brothers and sisters," Nadda tweeted in Hindi.

Announcing in Lok Sabha the increased MSPs for the six Rabi crops, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the MSP of gram has been increased by Rs 225 to Rs 5,100 per quintal.

The MSP of barley has been hiked by Rs 75 to Rs 1,600 per quintal. Lentil MSP has been hiked by Rs 300 to Rs 5,100 per quintal.

The MSP of mustard/rapeseed has been raised by Rs 225 to Rs 4,650 per quintal, while that of safflower has been hiked by Rs 112 to Rs 5,327 per quintal.