New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it would not be possible to increase the minimum support price (MSP) on pulses, foodgrains, oilseeds and major vegetables by 50 per cent, as such increase would distort the market.

The Centre said this in an affidavit filed in response to the application by Consortium of Indian Farmers Association seeking implementation of the BJP manifesto issued in on the eve of Lok sabha polls.

The petitioner drew the court’s attention to the fact that the BJP had stated that it would implement the recommendations of National Commission on Farmers and the national agricultural policy. The petition was filed in 2011 in the wake of large number of suicides by farmers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

However, the Centre told the court that the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) had recommended MSP for 22 agricultural commodities and fair and remunerative prices for sugarcane. It said, “fixing of MSP is not a ‘cost plus’ exercise, though cost is an important determinant of MSP, which is recommended by CACP on objective criteria. Hence prescribing an increase of at least 50 per cent hike on MSP on cost may distort the market.