New Delhi, Oct. 1 -- The Centre on Wednesday raised the minimum support prices (MSPs) for all six Rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season, giving the biggest price boosts to oilseeds and pulses. The government said the higher MSPs are aimed at ensuring remunerative returns to farmers and a continuation of its efforts to encourage crop diversification, particularly towards pulses and oilseeds. The MSP of safflower, an oil seed crop, received the largest absolute hike of Rs.675 per quintal (up 10.3% to Rs.7,215), followed by rapeseed and mustard with a Rs.413 per quintal increase (up 6.6% to Rs.6,613), according to a statement released after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lentil (masur) saw an increase of Rs.390 per quintal (up 5.5.%) to Rs.7,390, while the MSP for barley was raised by Rs.136 to Rs.2,286 per quintal. Gram prices were increased by Rs.83 to Rs.5,958 per quintal. In contrast, wheat received the smallest increase, (under 1%), raising MSP by Rs.25 from Rs.2,585 to Rs.2,610. With the increase, wheat, however, will have the highest margin over its all-India weighted average cost of production at 106%, followed by rapeseed and mustard at 96%, lentil at 92%, gram at 59%, barley at 58% and safflower at 50%. The MSPs are in line with its Budget 2018-19 commitment to fix MSP at least 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production, the official statement said. The latest MSP come as the government prepares for a Rabi season under climate uncertainties. On Tuesday, agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on asked states to align crop plans with water availability and soil moisture and prioritise pulses and oilseeds....