December 29: The government has fixed the support price of wheat at Rs 3,650 per quintal. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday decided to fix the minimum support price of wheat.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had proposed the price per quintal of wheat at Rs 2,977.72 per quintal in addition to the production cost of Rs 594.54 per quintal and transportation cost of Rs 77.88 per quintal.

Last year, the government had fixed the minimum support price of wheat at Rs 3,351.

The government fixes the support prices of wheat, rice and sugarcane so that the farmers get a fair price for their produce. The support price is also fixed so that the businessmen and middlemen do not take undue advantage from the farmers.

However, the government has been often criticized of fixing the support price after the farmers sell their produce at throw-away prices.

This year, the government has already fixed the support price of sugarcane as well.