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Informist, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025

By Shreya Shetty

MUMBAI – Prices of chana and tur fell, while prices of masur were steady in key spot markets across the country, traders said. Prices of chana fell due to rising arrivals of the rabi crop, they said. The market is awaiting the government's decision on lifting duty-free imports of yellow peas, due to expire on Friday. Prices of tur fell due to low demand from stockists and mills, they said.

CHANA prices in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, fell by INR 50-INR 100 from Tuesday to INR 5,500 per 100 kg, said Dinesh Mangal, a local trader. Spot markets was shut on Wednesday on the account of Mahashivratri. Prices are weighed down by arrivals of the rabi crop in the market, he said. Prices could fall by another INR 300-INR 400 per 100 kg this week, he said. The minimum support price of chana is INR 5,650 per 100 kg.

The market is awaiting the government's decision on lifting the duty-free policy on imports of yellow peas, Mangal said. "If the government imposes a duty on yellow pea imports, chana prices could find some support in the near term," he said. Yellow peas are used as a cheaper alternative to chana. The deadline for duty-free imports of yellow peas is set to expire on Friday.

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 imports of all pulses, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Prices of chana in Akola, Maharashtra, fell by INR 50 from Tuesday to INR 5,600-INR 5,625 per 100 kg, according to the India Pulses and Grains Association. Arrivals were steady at 15,000 bags (1 bag = 50 kg).

TUR prices in Solapur, Maharashtra, fell by INR 50 from Tuesday to INR 6,500-INR 7,500 per 100 kg, said Rahul Srinivas, a local trader. Stockists' purchases, which had previously supported prices, have dropped, leading to a fall in prices, he said. "Stockists have filled up their inventories, so demand from them will remain muted," he said. Demand from mills is sluggish as well, weighing on prices, he said.

While the government's procurement could have supported prices, it has not happened yet, Srinivas said. Previously, when prices were above the minimum support price of INR 7,550 per 100 kg, farmers were not keen on selling to the government. However, now that prices have dropped again, there are little signs of the government's purchases beginning. "The registration of farmers for procurement was done months back, but the government has not purchased much from them," he said. 

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India procured 84.25 tonnes of tur in Maharashtra as of Sunday, according to data released by the federation.

MASUR prices in Vidisha were steady at INR 6,100-INR 6,150 per 100 kg, Mangal said. Prices are expected to fall by INR 300-INR 400 per 100 kg once arrivals of the new rabi crop start by March, he said. However, after the initial fall, demand is expected to rise, lifting prices, he said.

As of Feb. 3, rabi sowing of masur was at 1.74 million hectares, unchanged from a year ago, according to data from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.  End

Edited by Avishek Dutta

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