Prices of tur (pigeon pea) across mandis in the key producing regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra have started declining as market arrivals have begun to increase. This should provide some relief to the Centre, which is concerned over food inflation, and consumers.

In Karnataka, the modal price (the rate at which most trades take place) have declined by 14-15 per cent over the past week in mandis such as Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar and Raichur among others. Similarly, in the mandis of Maharashtra such as Latur and Udgir among others, prices have declined by over a tenth in the past week.

Watching cautiously

The modal price of tur are hovering a slightly above the ₹8,000 levels per quintal in Karnataka and Maharashtra, easing by over ₹1,000 in the past week. The MSP for tur for the 2023-24 season is ₹7,000 per quintal.

“The season has started and tur prices have come down significantly. The trade is in a wait and watch mode,” said Nitin Kalantri, a miller and trader in Latur. Kalantri said the trade is cautious and looking for the arrival and price trends in Vidarbha and Karnataka.

In Latur, Kalantri said, arrivals stood between 10,000 and 12,000 tonnes on Tuesday with the prices ranging between ₹7, 800 and ₹8,500 per quintal. The average prices were around ₹8,250 on Tuesday.

According to the India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA)’s trade update, prices of tur dal in the key market of Akola have come down to ₹13,600 a quintal on Jan 2 compared with a peak of ₹17,000 in early September — a decline of about 20 per cent.

“The market arrivals of tur have increased resulting in improved availability as a result of which prices have started declining. Also the deals for imports from Myanmar have started happening,” said Rahul Chauhan of IGrain India.

Impact of monsoon

Tur acreage was impacted by the delayed monsoon during 2023 and per the first advance estimates, the output is expected to be around 34.21 lakh tonnes, marginally higher than the previous year’s 33.12 lakh tonnes. According to the trade estimates, India’s consumption of tur is around 45 lakh tonnes and the shortfall is met through imports from Myanmar and countries in East Africa such as Mozambique and Malawi among others.

The Government has recently extended the duty free import window for pulses such as tur, urad and lentils till March 31, 2025.

Also, the stock limits on pulses imposed by the Government for the retailers, trade and millers has ended on December 31. On November 6, 2023, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has imposed stock limits on tur and urad for retailers, trade and millers till December 31, 2023.

The trade expects the imports from Myanmar to be around 3.5 lakh tonnes during 2024.

Recently, in a webinar organised by the India Pulses and Grains Association, Shyam Narasaria, President, Overseas Agro Traders Association in Myanmar had said that production of tur in Myanmar in 2024 is seen at 3.5 lakh tonnes (2.6 lakh tonnes last year) but can go up to 3.75-4 lakh tonnes on favourable weather.

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