Prices of pulses mainly Tur and Tur dal has increased due to factors like a supply squeeze, monsoon and more consumption. The rate of Tur in the major markets of Maharashtra and Karnataka have increased by around ₹1,000 a quintal over the past month to exceed the minimum support price (MSP) level of ₹5,675. Their present prices are ₹5,700-5,900 a quintal.
Besides, the retail prices of Tur dal are also on the rise. Trade sources attribute the trend to buy interest from traders, millers and also consumers. They expect the prices to remain constant in the coming days, with the progress of the monsoon setting the trend.
According to trade sources, "Tur prices may cool down once NAFED starts the sale of procured pulses. NAFED, has procured around 2.72 lakh tonne of Tur this season and has currently stopped sales. Talking about the consumption, a trader from Latur, said the consumption of Tur is on the rise as vegetable prices are ruling higher this year.
He further added, “Vegetable prices are at their highest levels since 2015. Now, there is a shift towards pulses." During kharif 2018, a drought in the producing regions of Maharashtra and Karnataka had shrunk the output. The production of toor, stood at 3.68 million tonnes, down from 4.02 mt in the previous year, as per the Agriculture Ministry’s second advance estimates. Tur prices have lifted up this year, still farmers have not benefited as their yields have come down due to the drought."
Market Arrivals:
The market arrivals of Tur have also fallen drastically as a large section of farmers have sold their produce. “Kalaburagi is getting 500-1,000 quintals on an average now, but the normal market arrivals should have been 2,000-3,000 quintals at this point,” said a dal miller in Kalaburagi.
Basavaraj Ingin, President of the Karnataka Tur Growers Association said, “Only the farmers who had held back their produce are likely to gain. Many farmers have already sold their produce.”
