More Stories

Informist, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025

By Shreya Shetty

MUMBAI – Prices of yellow peas and tur rose in key spot markets across the country, traders said. Prices of yellow peas rose on news of the likely reimposition of duty on yellow pea imports. Prices of tur rose on the government's impending procurement in Karnataka, they said. Prices of chana fell on pressure from upcoming rabi crop arrivals, they said.

Prices of YELLOW PEA rose by INR 125-INR 150 from Thursday to INR 3,650-INR 4,000 across key port cities, Gaurav Kochar, a trader from Madhya Pradesh, said. The government is set to stop the duty-free imports of yellow peas, Food Minister Pralhad Joshi said Thursday on the sidelines of the Pulses Conclave 2025 in Delhi, an event organised by the India Pulses and Grains Association.

Though some traders have welcomed the move, others called the decison abrupt. "There should be a minimum import price for pulses so that farmers, industry, and consumers are happy," said Devendra Vora, a trader from Vashi, Navi Mumbai. "If the government imposes a duty on yellow peas, there are chances that the prices (of chana) might rise again."

Yellow peas are the cheapest legume in the country, and are used as an alternative to chana, mostly in the production of namkeen and besan. The government had done away with the 50% import duty on yellow peas in December 2023. Imports of yellow peas in Apr-Nov stood at 1.57 million tonnes, the highest among all pulses imports, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The deadline for duty-free imports of yellow peas is set to expire on Feb. 28.

CHANA prices in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, fell by INR 100-INR 150 from Thursday to INR 5,700-INR 5,800 per 100 kg, Dinesh Mangal, a local trader, said. Prices of chana are volatile amid seasonal demand and pressure from the upcoming arrivals of the rabi crop. "The market is receiving some arrivals from Maharashtra and Karnataka," he said.

Prices of chana are expected to fall further by INR 300-INR 400 by mid-March, when rabi crop arrivals in Madhya Pradesh are likely to begin, Mangal said. However, prices could be supported in the short term by the likely reimposition of import duty on yellow peas.

"Prices could rise for a couple of weeks due to positive market sentiment, but it will not be sustained as arrival pressure will increase," he said.

TUR prices in Solapur, Maharashtra, rose by INR 100-INR 200 from Thursday to INR 7,300-INR 7,400 per 100 kg, Mukesh Sanklecha, a local trader, said. The Karnataka government's upcoming procurement of the legume is also supporting prices, he said. The state government has announced a bonus of INR 450, over and above the minimum support price of INR 7,550 per 100 kg, taking the total procurement price in the state to INR 8,000 per 100 kg. "The state agencies in Karnataka are expected to begin the procurement on Saturday," Sanklecha said.

Prices will also be supported by the slowdown in arrivals once procurement in Karnataka begins, Sanklecha said. "The Solapur market will only receive kharif crop arrivals from Maharashtra as farmers in Karnataka will be more keen to sell their produce to the government due to the bonus," he said.  End

With inputs from J. Navya Sruthi

Edited by Rajeev Pai

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.