The Hindu Business Line : Pak chana coming soon to your kitchen

PAKISTANI chickpeas will make their way into India for the first time since the opening up of bi-lateral trade between the two countries. Indian traders have contracted to import 15,000 tonnes of chickpea or desi chana from Pakistan.

"The first parcel is expected to arrive at Indian ports (mostly Mumbai/JNPT) next week. Imports totalling 25,000-30,000 tonnes are expected in the next few months," Mr K.C. Bhartiya, President of Pulses Importers' Association, told Business Line. "Pakistan desi chana will be imported through land (Wagah) and sea routes (Mumbai) also. Initial deals were signed around $300 (Rs 13,000) a tonne," he said.

Most of the buyers are pulse millers. Majority of trades were done around $270-290 (Rs 11,700- 12,575) a tonne.

The landed cost is expected to be Rs 15,500 a tonne.

Currently, chana quotes at Rs 14,910 a tonne in Delhi. Chana prices in the Capital serve as a benchmark. On Friday, chana May futures contract closed at Rs 15,090 a tonne on NCDEX.

Pakistan plans to export about two lakh tonnes of chana to India on hopes of good crop this year. It is also targeting Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for exports, trade sources said.

Pakistan is projected to produce a bumper chana crop of 9 lakh tonnes against the previous season's 5.5 lakh tonnes, Pakistani chickpea will enter the country at a time when arrivals of domestic crop are expected to be heavy in the terminal markets.

"More shipments are likely to meet the demand from Gujarat and Maharashtra," said Mr Sunil Ramrakhiani, Head (commodity business), IL&FS Investmart Commodity Brokers Ltd.

During the rabi season, chana was sown on 71.73 lakh hectares, down 3.49 lakh hectares from last year.

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