Crop prices hiked before election

major decision ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Union cabinet increased the minimum support price (MSP) of 14 kharif crops at par with 1.5 times the cost of production. However, the claim of an "historic" increase is misleading as the declared prices have not been fixed according to the formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission which farmers have been demanding. The final cost of production neither includes the rent nor the interest on owned land. Down To Earth's calculation showed that not a single crop's MSP is 1.5 times the cost of production using the Swaminathan Commission formula.