The Agricultural Prices Commission (APC), later renamed the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), was established with the primary objective of advising the government on minimum support prices (MSPs) for various agricultural commodities. The aim was to ensure a balanced price structure that protects farmers' interests by covering their costs and providing a reasonable return, while also keeping prices stable for consumers and promoting efficient resource use. This involves creating an integrated price structure that considers the relative prices of different crops (inter-crop parity) and regional variations to encourage desirable cropping patterns and overall agricultural growth.