Pulses cooking sharply below minimum price

While tur, masoor (both red lentils) and moong (green gram) have recovered after falling sharply in November, these are up to 23% below the MSP

The price of pulses have seen a sharp decline in recent months, despite government measures. Trading sharply above the government’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) in September, almost all varieties have since declined by up to 50 per cent, because of increase in sowing area of the rabi season crop and changes in government policies in favour of trade.

Data compiled by Agmarknet shows chana (Bengal gram) in the spot Bikaner (Rajasthan) wholesale market (mandi) has slumped to Rs 4,214 a quintal, from Rs 5,985 a quintal on September 1. The MSP is Rs 4,400 a quintal. The price of urad (black gram) at Jalgaon in Maharashtra has slumped from Rs 4,800 a quintal in September to Rs 4,450 a quintal, about 17 per cent lower than the MSP of Rs 5,400 a quintal.

While tur, masoor (both red lentils) and moong (green gram) have recovered after falling sharply in November, these are up to 23 per cent below the MSP.

“One of the many reasons for the recent price fall of chana is that our farmers' planting is based on last year’s prices, rather than expected prices at the time of harvest. Rather than looking backward, we need to make forward looking, futures-based prices while taking a planting decision,” said Ashok Gulati, former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.