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The humble dal, long considered a staple diet of the Aam Aadmi , has seen a near 40 per cent price escalation over the past two years.
The prices of some pulses such as arhar, masoor, moong cost close to Rs 90 per kg. There may be some relief around the corner for the long-suffering households.
These protein rich pulses may now lose its status as a staple to a cheaper substitute that is emerging from the soya industry.
Edible oil manufacturer Ruchi Soya Industries has come out with a substitute which will be 40 per cent cheaper and 30 per cent higher in protein than the ‘Tur or Moong’ dal. Not only that, it will also taste exactly like the yellow dal.
The company is already piloting the project “Dal Analogue” under Feed Programme initiated by the Union Government in Andhra Pradesh and will be replicating this project in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Apart from the price, this soya substitute is also a healthy alternative, which will address the problems of malnutrition and low protein intake among the poor. Interestingly, India is the world’s largest producer as well as importer of pulses.
Over the last 50 years, pulses production has been stagnant leading to a decline in per capita consumption and rising imports.
The company, which has oil brands such as Nutrela and Mahakosh, plans to brand and sell this affordable soya-based dal in the rural market initially.
“We have invested around Rs 125 crore for the project that includes a plant near Indore. With rising prices of pulses in India, it also becomes an attractive business proposition,” said Dinesh Shahra, Managing Director, Ruchi Soya Industries.
The process of ‘Dal Analogue’ involves mixing protein rich soya beans with other vital ingredients. Also, as it is made from inexpensive raw materials, it is close to half the price of Tur dal, Shahra added.
In Andhra Pradesh, the company is supplying the soya-based dal for the Government’s ICDS scheme that benefits 3.75 lakh citizens.
“We are also supplying to kitchens of Nandi Foundation and Akshya Patra (Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh) for their school feeding programmes. Thus we are already reaching to over 1.3 million Indians on a daily basis,” he said.
The processed soyabean can also be an attractive and low-cost way of improving the protein consumption of the poor, he added.
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