The 1.5 times formula is used to determine the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
This was introduced during the Union Budget 2018-19.
According to this formula, the MSP is fixed at 1.5 times the production cost for crops as a ‘pre-determined principle’.
Under this formula, the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices only has to determine the production cost for a season and apply the formula.
This Commission does not do any field-based cost estimates.
Every year the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices operating under the Ministry of Agriculture will recommend minimum support prices for 23 crops.
This includes 14 crops that are grown during the post monsoon or kharif season and six crops grown in winter or Rabi season.
It also projects three other kinds of production cost for every crop.
They are A2, C2 and A2+FL.
A2 covers all the costs incurred by the farmer.
This includes fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, higher labour, irrigation.
The A2+FL includes all the cost incurred under A2 and the value of unpaid family labour.
C2 is a comprehensive cost that includes rental, interest foregone on own land and fixed capital assets along with the A2+FL cost.