Urad prices surge 20% in two months on incessant floods, crop damage

Other pulses follow suit; govt allows imports and release of buffer stock to cool prices

Urad prices have surged 20 per cent in the last two months owing to crop damage in the kharif sowing period following incessant rain and floods in the monsoon season. Data compiled by government-owned Agmarknet portal showed urad prices have jumped to trade at Rs 70 a kg in the benchmark wholesale Latur mandi in Maharashtra compared to Rs 58 a kg in the beginning of October. 

This is significantly above the minimum support price (MSP). In retail, urad dal trades at Rs 100 a kg.

All other pulses, including milled (dal) tur, gram and masur have also become costlier following