The Centre will release 50,000 tonnes of tur (arhar or pigeon pea) from its national buffer stock until imports from East African countries start hitting the market from August onwards.
Tur prices have soared, hitting consumers’ pockets amid lower production.
The ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution estimates tur production has been 3 million tonnes in 2022-23 (July-June) against a domestic consumption of 4.4-4.5 MT. Production was hit due to wilt disease and unseasonal rainfall in September-October last year. Prices of tur also rallied because delayed and weak monsoon kept farmers from sowing in time for the kharif season.
Prices were hovering at ₹10,200-10,750 a quintal in key markets of Maharashtra and Karnataka on 2 June, before shrinking to ₹10,100-10,150 per quintal on 26 June, said consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh. The all-India average retail price of tur dal, however, remained as high as ₹130 a kg as against ₹122 on 2 June, according to the department’s price monitoring cell.
The Centre on 2 June imposed stock limits on tur and urad by invoking the Essential Commodities Act to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation and make the pulses affordable. Stock limits were prescribed for tur and urad until 31 October this year for all states and UTs.
“It takes a while for the price impact to be reflected at the retail level as it comes at the last of the value chain,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, a spike in kharif pulses price pushed up pulses inflation to 6.6%, which is a concern for the government.
The department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) directed National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) to dispose of tur through online auction.
The Centre currently has around 120,000 tonnes of tur in its buffer stock, including imported stock procured from the domestic market. Due to lower production and higher market prices, farmers preferred to sell their produce to traders, millers, and stockists in 2022-23 (September-March) kharif season. Thus, the procurement by the agriculture ministry was negligible.
India has imported about 600,000 tonnes of tur since January this year and expected to import another 600,000 tonnes from Myanmar, Sudan, and East African countries such as Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania in the current financial year started April.
In the last financial year, India imported about 890,000 tonnes through private trade.
Tur, a crucial kharif pulse, accounts for nearly 15% in India’s pulses basket, and largely consumed in southern regions of the country.
Source : Mint