Last Updated on May 14, 2026 11:17 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Thursday strongly rejected the Centre’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) announcement for Kharif crops for 2026-27, accusing the government of “cheating farmers” through what it termed a flawed pricing formula.
In a sharp statement issued after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved MSPs for 14 Kharif crops, AIKS alleged that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) had ignored the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, which called for MSP at 50 per cent above the comprehensive cost of production (C2+50%).
The farmers’ body claimed that the government continued to calculate MSP using outdated methods and lower cost estimates, causing huge losses to cultivators. AIKS alleged that cotton farmers alone were losing more than ₹4,000 per quintal compared to the MSP suggested under the Swaminathan formula, while tur growers were losing nearly ₹3,900 per quintal.
The organisation further claimed that farmers of major crops had collectively lost nearly ₹27 lakh crore between 2016 and 2025 because of inadequate MSP and poor procurement mechanisms. It alleged that most farmers do not even receive the declared MSP in the market.
AIKS also criticised the Centre over its reported attempts to discourage states from giving additional bonuses to farmers over MSP, calling it an “attack on federalism.” It defended schemes introduced by states such as Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Odisha to support cultivators.
Linking the issue to international trade, the organisation accused the government of surrendering to pressure from the United States and the World Trade Organization on agricultural subsidies and procurement policies.
The AIKS announced nationwide protests from May 25, including symbolic burning of MSP orders and CACP documents, demanding a legal guarantee for MSP based on the Swaminathan formula and withdrawal from trade agreements affecting Indian agriculture.