The average price of gram, lentil and mustard remained weak in March-April

07-May-2025 08:47 PM

New Delhi. During March-April in both 2022 and 2025, the average wholesale market prices of gram, lentil and mustard stayed 2 to 9 percent below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Farmer organizations have been advocating for a statutory guarantee of MSP, arguing that the current procurement system benefits only a small portion of the total production, while the majority is sold by farmers at rates below the MSP. They believe that a legal guarantee would compel industry and private traders to buy at or above the support price.

For the Rabi season of 2024-25, the MSP for gram was fixed at Rs 5650 per quintal, while the average market price during March-April stood 2.4 percent lower at Rs 5514 per quintal.

Lentil prices averaged Rs 6127 per quintal, 8.6 percent below the MSP of Rs 6700. Mustard prices were recorded at Rs 5702 per quintal, which is 4.2 percent below the MSP of Rs 5950.

In terms of month-on-month changes, the average price of gram rose from Rs 5434 per quintal in March to Rs 5585 in April—an increase of Rs 151.

Lentil prices increased by Rs 278 per quintal in April compared to March, and mustard prices saw a Rs 238 per quintal rise over the same period