BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking Kerala’s exclusion from the Centre’s advisory on ending the MSP bonus for paddy and wheat. Chandrasekhar cited a recent communication from the Department of Expenditure asking States, including Kerala, to reassess and consider withdrawing MSP bonuses due to surplus stocks, fiscal pressure and sustainability issues. He argued that grouping Kerala with surplus-producing States does not reflect the ground reality, as the State has witnessed a long-term decline in paddy cultivation and output and does not contribute to excess central stocks.

He said paddy farmers in Kerala have long faced neglect, particularly with respect to production costs, procurement systems and marketing support. Chandrasekhar also criticised the State government for failing to extend timely and sufficient financial assistance, forcing many farmers to rely on private moneylenders and leading to rising debt and financial distress.

The BJP leader pointed out that Kerala has not announced any additional bonus over and above the MSP for paddy or wheat, unlike some surplus-producing States. He noted that paddy procurement in Kerala follows a distinct model shaped by its unique agro-climatic conditions, small landholdings and the need to sustain cultivation primarily for food security rather than surplus production.

Chandrasekhar further said that concerns highlighted in the Centre’s advisory—such as surplus output, excess central stocks and groundwater depletion—are largely irrelevant to Kerala’s agricultural context. He urged the Centre to exclude Kerala from the proposed discontinuation of MSP bonus and to assess the State’s case separately, taking into account its specific agricultural, ecological and food security considerations.