New Delhi: The Union government has approved a sharp hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for copra for the 2026 season, reaffirming its commitment to ensure remunerative returns for coconut farmers. The decision was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to an official release, the move aligns with the 2018–19 Union Budget promise to fix MSPs for all mandated crops at a minimum of 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production.
The MSP for Fair Average Quality (FAQ) milling copra has been set at ₹12,027 per quintal, while ball copra will fetch ₹12,500 per quintal in 2026. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the approval and confirmed that NAFED and NCCF will continue as the central nodal agencies for procurement under the Price Support Scheme.
The revised MSP marks an increase of ₹445 per quintal for milling copra and ₹400 per quintal for ball copra compared to the previous season. Since 2014, the MSP for milling copra has risen from ₹5,250 to ₹12,027 per quintal, and for ball copra from ₹5,500 to ₹12,500 per quintal — a jump of 129% and 127%, respectively.
Officials said the higher MSP will strengthen income security for coconut farmers and encourage greater production to meet growing domestic and international demand for coconut-based products.
The government emphasized that procurement operations through NAFED and NCCF will continue to safeguard farmers from market fluctuations and ensure they receive the approved support price.
